DRINKERS at a new upmarket Newcastle bar will have to pay a minimum price of £1.25 per unit of alcohol as part of a council's efforts to shed the city's party image.

Joe Robertson, a millionaire pub boss, known as 'Champagne Joe', is reported to have had a licence approved for a new upmarket bar and restaurant in the city.

But as part of the conditions, in what is thought to be a UK first, council legal chiefs have introduced a minimum alcohol price in his new venues as the council tries to move the city away from the "Geordie Shore" image they believe is damaging Newcastle.

Customers will pay a minimum of £1.25 per unit of alcohol at both Decantus and the Grey Street Cafe Bar and Grill.

The order on alcohol prices for Mr Robertson's new bars means Newcastle will be ensuring this and future bars charge nearly three times the 45p per unit price the Government wants to push through.

Councillor Henri Murison said: "We want more venues like this if anything. This type of responsible upmarket venue is very in keeping with what we want to achieve and we can see that people are happy to come here to experience that as part of their visit.

"By introducing these conditions on new licences, we are sending a clear signal that we want to move away from the Geordie Shore image."