Christmas in November in Newcastle’s Times Square – what’s going on, like?!
We spoke to Mike, of the Christmas Village, along with our complimentary drink, to find out: “Christmas Village is a festive experience for everyone to enjoy. There’s a German food village. There’s the ice rink that’s attached which is open later than previous years. The German craft market. Fire pits. Everything is free entry.*
Now we are a little bit different to everywhere else as we’ve got a big, massive Bavarian Beer Hall. We’ve got live music on. It’ll make you feel you’re in Southern Germany!” Mike tells us.
“There’s a Christmas Log Cabin, which we imported from Germany, if you just want a quiet drink during the day or after work. So a brand new, unique bar in Newcastle!”
Our Bavarian Beer Hall is open to families. Kids are welcome in the Beer Hall until 8pm. There’s doors to keep the heat in, so you’ll be nice and warm.” he continues.
“We know that we’re a bit early for Christmas, but you can never be too early for Christmas as everyone loves it!” Mike smiles.
Mum and I are well impressed and feel like we truly are in Bavaria as we head into the Beer Hall and order our steins.
“Five pound deposit for each glass is needed,” the barmaid advised.
“Is that to stop people stealing them?” I asked.
“Exactly,” she replied. “You get the full refund back on returning the glass.”
This is fair enough we decide as we take our seats amongst the rows of wooden tables and benches.
“People stealing steins reminds me of when our friend Josie did that. Do you remember?” asked Mum.
“Oh yeah, when we attended that Oktoberfest?” I said.
“Yeah. She was dressed as a German beer maid and had a half a two pint stein left. We were last in the beer tent. The door bouncers were shouting at us to drink up – ”
I smirked: “So Josie decided she was going to walk out with the half full stein. We walked on ahead of her to the exit. The bouncers stopped her and said: ‘You can’t leave with that glass.’ She argued that she’d bought the beer so the glass belonged to her. Then she announces she is going for a wee and off she goes.”
Mum laughed: “The bouncers and us followed her to the portaloo as she went inside. They hammered on the door for her to come out.”
Mum and I were sniggering now.
“So she opens the door and comes out,” laughs Mum.” ‘I was just having a wee,’ she says as she walks in slow motion as if she’s got knock knees. The bouncers stare at her and say ‘Drop it!’”
“And the two pint stein drops from between her legs, from under her dress, spilling beer everywhere around her!” I cackled.
“As if she’s giving birth and her waters had broke!” hooted Mum.
By now, people in the beer hall were looking at us, so we calmed it down and giggled silently just as the German Ooom Pah music started up.
We grabbed our drinks, knowing this was the first visit to the Christmas Village of many, nodded to each other and raised the steins: “Prost!”
Eins – Steins – Prost!
* bar the ice rink
- Christmas Village Newcastle is open every day until January 5th 2019!
- Every day midday till midnight, free entry at all times including the Bavarian Beer tent & hut.
- Ice Rink Tickets are available to purchase at life.org.uk
Tables can be reserved online, for up to fifty people so your Christmas parties are more than welcome. Reserving tables doesn’t cost any additional charge, it’s simply an advance purchase of your food and your drink. You’re getting a lot of bang for your buck – so lock down your seats in the private reservation area.
For more info, see https://www.christmasvillagenewcastle.co.uk/ or email info@christmasvillagenewcastle.co.uk