Travel information
PLEASE NOTE: Car parking at the University of Sunderland is £1.30 per hour. Park & Ride at one of the metro stations maybe a cheaper option.
Getting to Newcastle and Sunderland
Situated in the North East of England, Newcastle and Sunderland have excellent transport links with major UK and international cities.
Air travel
Newcastle Airport is the closest international airport. EasyJet, American Airlines, Ryan Air, Air France and jet2 all have frequent flights to and from Newcastle from a range of destinations. The Metro runs directly to Newcastle city centre (Central Station, Monument and Haymarket, Jesmond) and Sunderland (St Peter’s, Sunderland) from Newcastle International Airport in approximately 20 and 55 minutes respectively.
Train travel
Newcastle and Sunderland have a well-connected rail service, with regular trains to London, York, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. A typical journey to London takes approximately 3 hours and 3 hours 30 minutes respectively.
Coach travel
The main coach stations are located in the city centre in both Newcastle (St James Boulevard) and Sunderland (Park Lane). For information for national and international travel to and from Newcastle and Sunderland by coach, consult National Express.
Sea travel
Ferries run from nearby North Shields to Holland. The International Ferry Terminal is approximately seven miles east of Newcastle at North Shields. Ferries travel daily to and from Amsterdam, operated by DFDS Seaways. If you arrive at the North Shields ferry port as foot passenger, there are bus services to Newcastle city centre, which take approximately half an hour. The nearest Metro station is Percy Main, about a 20-minute walk from the terminal building and a 15-20 minute journey from Newcastle city centre where you can change for Sunderland.
Local transport
The light-rail Tyne and Wear Metro service is an easy means of getting around Newcastle and Sunderland. For regional Metro, bus and rail travel information consult Nexus.
Taxis in Newcastle and Sunderland
Newcastle: Blueline taxis 0191 2626666; ABC taxis: 0191 232 3636; NODA taxis 0191 222 1888
Sunderland: Station taxis 0191 5555555; Blue Arrow taxis 0191 567 2200.
Travel planning websites
Transport Direct - free :Information for door-to-door travel for both public transport and car journeys around Britain. UK Public
Transport Information - Plan travel by bus, train, coach, ferry or underground.
BBC Tyne - tTravel information for Tyneside
Getting to the conference venues
Friday 24 June 2011
Culture Lab
Newcastle University,
Grand Assembly Rooms, King's Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
Telephone: +44 (0)191 2464646
Local Transport
The Culture Lab is opposite the Haymarket Metro Station and in walking distance from the Central Station.
Car travel directions
The A1(M) running north to south passes close by the city centre. Head southwest on A1 and exit onto Ponteland Rd/A167 toward City (Centre). Continue to follow A167, go through 4 roundabouts and turn right toward Claremont Rd/B6338 (signs for B1318). At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Claremont Rd/B6338. Go through 1 roundabout and turn right at Barras Bridge/B1318 to continue onto St Mary’s Pl/B1307.
Saturday 25 and Sunday 25 June 2011
The David Puttnam Media Centre Cinema, Sir Tom Cowie Campus
Sir Tom Cowie Campus, St Peter's Way, Sunderland, SR6 0DD
The Sir Tom Cowie Campus is a 5-minute walk from St Peter’s Metro Station. Click on the link to download a map of the campus. Pay and Display car parking is also available on site.
Car travel directions
From North or South, follow the A19 towards Sunderland. Leave the A19 and turn onto the A1231 heading for Sunderland. Head East along A1231 and simply follow the brown directional signs for the National Glass Centre, which is located within the St. Peter's Campus.
Accommodation in Newcastle and Sunderland
The tourist information site NewcastleGateshead provides an accommodation database and free booking service. There are also a number of online commercial booking sites for hotel accommodation (e.g., hotels.com, booking.com, lastminute.com, etc) that may sometimes offer considerably lower prices than these quoted by hotels.
Newcastle offers a variety of guest accommodation from hostels, guest houses, B&Bs, and hotels for all tastes and budgets. However, Newcastle may be quite popular at summer weekends so early booking is highly recommended.
Areas that offer convenient accommodation with regards to travelling to and from the Airport and Sunderland and a variety of local amenities are around Newcastle Central Station (e.g., Royal Station Hotel and County Hotel by Thistle), Monument (e.g., Newgate Hotel Newcastle), the Quayside (Premier Inn Quayside and Travelodge) that is just a 5-minute walk from Central Station. Prices may vary from £80-110 for a double room excluding breakfast. Campus accommodation may be offered at reasonable prices at the centrally located Castle Leazes Hall (Newcastle University), Claude Gibb Hall and Camden Court (Northumbria University). There are also a number of hostels around the centre (e.g., Newcastle YHA, Albatross Backpackers In!) that may provide shared accommodation from £16 per person per night.
Jesmond, a Victorian suburb to the north east of the centre of Newcastle, also served by Metro, showcases a range of guest houses (e.g., Jesmond Park, Adelphi Hotel, The Avenue) whose prices start from £32 for a single room with shared bathroom including breakfast. Jesmond boasts a plethora of restaurants, cafes and bars.
The New Northumbria Hotel (61-63 Osborne Rd, NE2 2AN) in Jesmond offers rooms at preferential rates to conference delegates, that is, £75 for a single (including tax and breakfast) and £85 for a double room (including tax and breakfast). Should you wish to book a room at the New Northumbria Hotel you should contact the hotel (tel: +44 191 2814961 or e-mail info@thenewnorthumbriahotel.co.uk) with a specific mention to the conference The Versatile Image. The New Northumbria Hotel is a 5-minute walk from Jesmond Metro Station. (http://www.thenewnorthumbriahotel.co.uk/)
Should you wish to stay in Sunderland there are a few hotels (e.g., Sunderland Marriott Hotel, Best Western Roker Hotel) in one mile radius from St Peter's Campus with prices that vary from £50 to £90 depending on availability. Equally there are a number of guest houses (Balmoral Guest House, Terrace Guest House, Apri Guest House, Abey and Areldee Guest House, St Georges' Guest House) offering B&B service in walking distance (0.5-1 mile) from St Peter's Campus.
Eating Out
Restaurants and cafés in Newcastle
Quayside
Rasa (Indian)
27 Queen Street, Quayside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3UG
Pan Haggerty (Modern British)
21 Queen Street, Quayside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3UG
Big Mussel (Seafood)
15 The Quayside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3JE
Centre
Blackfriars (British)
Friars Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4XN
Spice Cube (Indian)
The Gate, Newgate Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 5TG
Bangkok Café (Thai)
39-41 Low Friar Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 5UE
Café Royal (Bistro/café)
8 Nelson Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 5AW
El Coto (Spanish)
21 Leazes Park Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4PF
La Tasca –Grey Street (Spanish)
42-50 Grey Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 6AE
Pani’s Café Bar (Italian)
61-65 High Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 6BX
Paradiso (International)
1 Market Lane, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 6QQ
Red Mezze (Turkish, Halal)
34-36 Leazes Parl Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4PG
Wagamama (Fast Food, Japanese)
6 Eldon Square, Newcastle-Upon Tyne, NE1 6JG
Zizzi (Italian)
42-50 Grey Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 6AE
Taste of Persia (Persian)
14 Marlborough Crescent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4EE
Jesmond
Caffe Zonzo (Modern Italian)
Goldspink Lane, Sandyford, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE2 1NQ
Pizzeria Francesca (Italian)
134-136 Manor House Rd, Jesmond, NE2 2NA
Mandalay (Chinese)
1-2 Holly Avenue West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 2AR
Scalinis (Italian)
61 Osborne Road, Jesmond, NE2 2AN
Darraz (Indian)
4, Holly Avenue West, Jesmond, NE2 2AR
Komal Balti House (Indian)
14, Brentwood Avenue, Jesmond, NE2 3DH
Cherry Tree (Modern British)
9 Osborne Road, Newcastle, Tyne And Wear NE2 2AE
Restaurants in Sunderland
Centre
Amore Restaurant (Italian)
11 Tavistock Place, Sunderland, SR1 1PB
Angelo’s (Italian)
48 West Sunniside, Sunderland, SR1 1BA
D’Acqua (British)
26-28 (Basement), John Street, Sunderland, SR1 1JG
Close to Sir Tom Cowie Campus
Pan Asian (Asian)
Echo 24 Building, West Wear Street, Sunderland, SR11XD
Tavistock Italia and Tavistock Thai China at the Best Western Roker Hotel
Roker Terrace, Sunderland, SR6 9NB
Gabriele's
4 Queens Parade, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8DA