Newcastle Big Weekend

Your weekend, day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   

   Go-karting

   From about 14:00 · 1.5 hours

   Arrival day. Travel in and check in, then go-karting in the afternoon: a briefing, practice laps, qualifying and a scored final, with the times on a board. Trousers and trainers, and every driver must be sober, so the drinking waits until afterwards.

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   Newcastle has two very different tracks. The indoor option is a 950-metre multi-level circuit with a flyover and twelve bends, where a grand prix format takes about two hours. The outdoor option is a 1,200-metre championship circuit a short drive out of the city, with 390cc karts that reach around 60mph and lap-time printouts at the end. There is also a combat-kart format with gaming-style power-ups for groups of eight or more. Wear closed shoes and active clothing, and tie back long hair. Outdoor sessions run all year, so pack a waterproof in winter.

   You get a briefing, race suit, helmet and gloves, then a session that usually runs about an hour: practice laps, a qualifying run and a scored final. Timing is automatic and the results go on a board, which is where the arguments start.

   Indoor circuits run all year; outdoor ones are longer, faster and at the mercy of the weather. Both put a podium and a bottle of something at the end.

   Wear trousers rather than shorts, and trainers. There are height, weight and footwear limits at most tracks, and you have to be sober.

   

   Club entry, VIP & booths

   From about 23:00 · 3.5 hours

   Reserved club entry for the group, past the queue on the guest list. Dress codes are enforced at the top end of the Diamond Strip: no sportswear and no matching shirts.

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   Newcastle's guest-list and reserved-area deals are spread across the Bigg Market, the Diamond Strip, the Cloth Market and Pilgrim Street, all within a short walk of each other. Packages typically combine queue-jump entry with a reserved area and a set drinks bundle, such as a bottle of spirits with prosecco, or a round of cocktails and shots. Smart casual is the standard, and some guest-list entry only applies before 10pm, so arrive in good time. A Bavarian-style beer cellar in the Bigg Market, with long benches and steins, is a popular first stop before the clubs.

   Standard entry gets the group past the queue on a guest list, which matters because large male groups are the first ones a door turns away. A booth adds a reserved table, a set number of bottles with mixers and a host who looks after the table.

   Booths are sold on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee at many clubs, so the bottles you order count towards it. Ask what the minimum is and what it includes before you agree to anything.

   Dress code is enforced hard on stag groups. No sportswear, no trainers at some doors, no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in regardless of the booking.

2. 2

   Day 2

   

   Paintballing

   From about 11:00 · 2 hours

   Paintball outside the city in the morning: overalls, a mask and a marker issued, then team games run by marshals. Hits sting. Old clothes and boots, nothing white, and a change of clothes for afterwards. Allow for the travel out and back.

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   The main site is at Seaton Burn on the Great North Road, about 15 miles from the centre, and transfers are not included, so arrange minibuses. Sessions run at weekends only: start times are 9am or noon in winter and 10am or 2pm in summer. A half day lasts around three hours across several themed game zones, with 100 paintballs each and more for sale on the day. Wear loose clothes you do not mind ruining and boots with ankle support. A one-hour gel blaster session in an outdoor arena is the lighter option, with less mess and fewer bruises.

   A half-day is usually five or six game zones, played in teams with a marshal calling each game: attack and defend, capture the flag, and a last-man-standing finish. You are issued overalls, a mask, a marker and a set number of paintballs, with more available on the day.

   Hits sting and leave bruises for a few days. That is well understood but worth saying to anyone who has not played.

   Wear old clothes under the overalls, a hoodie helps, and boots or old trainers. Nothing white. Bring a change of clothes.

3. 3

   Day 3

   

   Group dinner & restaurant

   From about 19:30 · 1.5 hours

   The booked group dinner, with one table for the whole group. Confirm final numbers and any dietary needs with the restaurant ahead of the day. If the group is heading out afterwards, dress for the bars rather than the restaurant.

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   Group dining for a stag in Newcastle tends to happen on or near the Diamond Strip around Collingwood Street, so the meal leads straight into the night. Expect a set menu, with the table typically held for about 90 minutes and last bookings around 8:30pm at some venues. Some ask the whole group to choose the same format, such as starter and main, so agree it before you arrive. Some bars are 18+ and may ask for ID. Burger-and-a-pint deals are common if the group wants a quicker meal before the bars.

   A restaurant taking a large group will usually want a set menu, a deposit and final numbers a few days ahead. That is normal and it works in your favour: the food comes out together and the bill is per head rather than an hour of arithmetic.

   Tell them about allergies and anyone who does not eat meat when you confirm the numbers, not on the night.

   Dress code is the restaurant's. If you are heading to a club afterwards, dress for the club, because the restaurant is the softer door.