This year’s best stag party venues in Newcastle have been crowned, with a brand-new bar topping the chart and other popular venues populating the rankings.

Howlers, located on the city’s legendary Diamond Strip, had been awarded the accolade despite only opening last October.

The title was bestowed on the bar by Last Night of Freedom, one of Britain’s leading stag and hen party organisers.

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The Gateshead-based firm recently revealed Newcastle is now Europe’s most visited stag and hen destination, with bookings rocketing post-pandemic.

And managing director Matt Mavir said that while Howlers was a “stag paradise”, there was almost nothing to separate the top ten spots.

“Newcastle’s reputation as a stag and hen party destination is unmatched, hence why it has become the most visited pre-wedding destination in the entire continent,” said Mr Mavir.

“The city’s bars are among the best in the country and hospitality is in our blood, and that showed when we assessed the venues.

“There was little to choose between them, as everywhere in the top ten is a cracking night out where you are almost guaranteed to have a good time.”

However, Howler’s narrowly pipped the other venues after Last Night of Freedom’s staff were “blown away” by the variety offered inside the Collingwood Street haunt.

The £1m venue, which opened last October on the firmer site of Madame Koo’s, has an adult ball pool, karaoke, live music, and bonkers bingo.

The venue serves street food, craft cocktails and even has a giant pink barbie box to snap selfies in.

It nudged neighbouring Bohemia into second place, with Last Night of Freedom wowed by the bar’s giant alfresco bar – the biggest in the city – with the firm noting the “great, friendly party vibe”.

And the city’s newest nightclub – The Lofts – rounded off the top-three.

The superclub boasts a state-of-the-art sound system while Last Night of Freedom branded it “one of the new crown jewels” in Newcastle’s night-time economy.’

Elsewhere, there were strong showings for the likes of “very cool” interactive darts venue, The WonderBar, as well as Colonel Porters which impressed due to the array of drinks and the smart interior.

The top 10 are:

1)Howlers

2)Bohemia

3)The Lofts

4)WonderBar

5)Stein Bierkeller

6)Mushroom Bar

7)Revolution Newcastle

8)FYEO

9)Colonel Porter’s Emporium

10)Flares Newcastle

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