Hotel Gotham in Newcastle city centre has expanded into the former police station and magistrates court next door, transforming the historic buildings into a lavish new part of the hotel. The dock is now a chic drinks area, and the space where judges once delivered verdicts now houses a sprawling bar.
From Courtroom to Cocktail Bar
It has been 12 months since Hotel Gotham welcomed its first guests into the ex Fire Station on Pilgrim Street in November 2025. The hotel's rooms feature striking fire engine red doors, with recognition on its walls of the hard work of those who were once on duty there and its proud fire station history.
As soon as Hotel Gotham opened, it was on the agenda for the venue to become even bigger by moving into the magistrates and police station buildings next door. After a lot of work behind the scenes over the last year, the curtain has now been raised on Hotel Gotham this week, with both court rooms and the former prison cells getting a new lease of life.
New Lease of Life for Courtrooms and Cells
First Court has all the makings of a fantastic Christmas party hotspot, with a sprawling bar installed where judges used to deliver their verdicts, while there is the opportunity to have a few drinks in a private area that used to be the dock. The public gallery, while still intact, has now been moved upstairs and now sits above a fully working kitchen.
Just across the way, the vast space that Second Court offers should see it become an in demand venue to book for a manner of different occasions from wedding receptions to business conferences. ChronicleLive got a guided tour on opening day, just as the doors also opened on Hotel Gotham's very own Greggs VIP suite.
