The Ivy is finally preparing to open in Newcastle, ending a six-year wait for the prestigious restaurant chain to secure a site in the city centre. The brand has been a slow-growing presence in the city’s rumour mill for years, quietly creeping toward a spot on Grey Street.
Champagne Coladas, zucchini fritti, lavish afternoon teas and steak tartare await. Now, after years of persistence and patience, the culinary landmark has found its wall to climb. Just as ivy survives and thrives in places other plants can’t, the legendary restaurant will be ready to navigate Newcastle’s hospitality sector and the challenges currently facing the UK’s drinking and dining scene.
Six-year journey to Grey Street
The Ivy’s plans to come to Tyneside date back years, but it was in 2020 that the world famous eaterie, loved by Hollywood, music and sports stars, first began making those plans more permanent. At the start of that year, the London chain, famed for its guests like Dua Lipa, Joan Collins, the Beckhams and Tom Cruise, was keen to move into the Grade II listed 104-108 Grey Street – one of the city’s most prominent buildings which once housed Waterstones, H&M and later upmarket burger chain Byron.
The Grey Street building, which was made a listed building in 1987, dates from 1904 when it was redeveloped for booksellers and stationers Mawson, Swan and Morgan. The Ivy's plans rested on gaining planning permission for three separate applications. At the time, Byron was keen to stay in the city and were looking for a new site if The Ivy took over the Grey Street site, having survived a closure programme just two years earlier.
Planning applications were made by Troia (UK) Restaurants Limited – owner of The Ivy brands – which envisaged a three-floor restaurant with seating in the basement, ground and first floors, creating up to 130 full-time jobs. However, with so many decorative heritage features in the building, all of which required approvals, the plans would not be able to pass by planners quickly. And then the pandemic struck.
Pandemic and a new target
Byron went into administration at the height of the pandemic in June 2020 and the site then just lay empty. The Ivy bosses went quiet – and when END Clothing announced it was moving in, that, it seemed, was that. It would be another five years before The Ivy’s name would resurface around the city’s hospitality and property circles.
Well-connected real estate owners in the city told us that The Ivy had a new building in its sights – a property even bigger than its original target - its neighbouring property right next door at number 102 Grey Street. And in a rather canny coincidence, Lloyds Bank then announced it was about to quit the building. Lloyds relocated to the old Sports Direct building in Northumberland Street in the summer of 2025 amid plans to deliver “the right facilities, technology and environment for our people”, paving the way for The Ivy to finally get its landmark plot in the city centre.
A call to The Ivy ahead of Lloyds' move resulted in them confirming “Newcastle is an area we are looking at/considering” but they still remained coy on the preferred chosen location. We mused at the time how several listed locations could fit the bill, including the recently vacated JG Windows (now set to become the Giggling Squid) – but we all knew The Ivy only had eyes for 102 Grey Street. And it's easy to see why. Dating back to 1839, the four-storey sandstone building has a stunning 91-foot frontage, a double-height banking hall, mezzanine level and a full-height internal atrium - perfect for a jaw-dropping restaurant makeover.
Conversion and official links
In February of this year a local planning consultancy was brought in to make the conversion happen. Naylors Gavin Black were appointed to play a key role in the regeneration of the historic building - quite the coup for the company. Since February they have been working with a team of specialists to convert a building which has only ever been used as a bank. The owner of the Grade II listed property has enlisted the firm "to provide project management and contract administration services" for the refurbishment of the prominent 31,000 sq ft building. They revealed how the redevelopment would see the basement, ground floor and mezzanine become a high-end restaurant, “with the upper floors offering potential for a range of complimentary uses, which are under consideration”.
Scott Clarke, partner at Naylors Gavin Black, said at the time: “It is a privilege to be involved in the regeneration of such an important and beautiful building. The space had become underutilised by the former tenant, so this project represents an exciting opportunity to restore its character and ensure it reaches its full potential once again.”
The first time the famous chain was officially linked to the building came last month, when a licensing application was submitted – showing plans for both The Ivy and Ivy Asia brands within the one building. The following week recruitment adverts also began to appear, heralding a Newcastle opening later this year. The company itself has remained tight-lipped the entire time – but when you’re The Ivy you don't need to make official announcements. Word of its imminent arrival has already set social media alight, after all.
Impact on the local scene
Workmen are now busy transforming the interior of the building into a dazzling, opulent setting fitting of The Ivy’s name and foodies in the region will be eager to step through the doors of the former banking halls. But we must remember that it’s the city’s existing hospitality scene, bursting with brilliant independents that will have attracted the brand here in the first place. It’s only right that a city like Newcastle should have chain restaurants, such as Chiquitos, Nando’s and Pizza Punks – but it is the time-served regional hospitality legends and regulars in Newcastle Restaurant Week, like Blackfriars, Kafeneon, Meat Stack, Cafe 21, Khai Kha, Feds, Fat Hippo, Kaltur, Sacchins, Dabbawal, St Vincent, Broad Chare and House of Tides that have made the city’s dining scene what it is today.
It comes as no surprise that Newcastle has been named on the global shortlist for Emerging Food Destination of the Year in the inaugural olive Travel & Taste Awards – the only UK city to make the category. Judges pointed to a North East food scene that has built its reputation on local talent. The imminent arrival of The Ivy is most definitely an exciting one, but we look forward to seeing how The Ivy’s culinary team stack up against our homegrown successes.
