Newcastle United's new Tidings hospitality suite at St James' Park offers a premium matchday experience, with gourmet small plates, premium seating in the Leazes West corner, and a view of nearly all the fans inside a near-full stadium. The suite, named after a group of magpies, was experienced during a pre-season friendly against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Saturday.
A New Way to See the Toon
For years, the experience of St James' Park for many has been among the sea of black and white with the Toon Army. But on Saturday, the view was from the sixth floor, the highest point inside the stadium, in the brand new Tidings hospitality suite. Arriving at around 12.30pm, the writer was directed to the main office to collect a ticket before heading up to the suite.
The huge room has it all: food and drink, live music, and premium seating. The welcome drink was a mojito, and the matchday programme was provided.
Culinary Highlights
The food offering consists of seasonal small plates taken as they come out of the kitchen. First bites included heirloom tomato panzanella with basil pesto and focaccia, described as vibrant and fresh, and creamy burrata with charred courgettes, peaches, and chill crisp.
Main courses sampled were the English lamb rack with crushed peas and new potatoes, and seared venison loin served pink with pickled mushrooms and pink peppercorns. For dessert, a dark chocolate and peanut butter tart was rich in flavour.
A View Like No Other
The seat in the Leazes West corner provided one of the best views of a football match ever experienced, with almost all of the near-full stadium visible. Despite Leverkusen taking an early lead, Malick Thiaw, the captain for the day, scored a header from an Anthony Elanga corner to level at 1-1 just before half-time.
At half-time, the suite's modern, spacious design and relaxed atmosphere impressed, with everyone having their own space. A black and white bag of pick 'n' mix was provided for the second half, during which Bayer scored a late winner. Despite the result, those around still seemed to enjoy the day.
Tidings is described as an incredible matchday experience, elevating the entire day, and is expected to be incredibly popular as the season gets going. For those lucky enough to visit, it offers the best of the club's hospitality.
