The Engine Room is a fully licensed arts and music venue located in the basement area of The Old Maltings building on Tanners Bank, North Shields. We sit directly below The Wheel House (also part of Old Maltings building), which sells the best coffee and cake in the area. The frontage of The Wheel House has magnificent mural artwork depicting its unique logo as well as a scene showing the River Tyne and local landmarks, making us easy to spot once you get to Tanners Bank.
The Engine Room is one of the UK’s Grassroots Music Venues which serves to help local and national, experienced as well as new and emerging artists get recognition and to play live, thus helping them develop valuable experience, and to hopefully make money and sustain their artistic output. We are open to live music of all genres and backgrounds, as well as being there for the community to experience drama, educational talks, poetry, and other forms of live performance.
The Old Maltings building has served many purposes over the years. As the name suggests it was a malting house converting grain to malt for beer and whiskey in days gone by. Additionally it has served as a processing area supporting the local fishing industry, where the origins of the Fish Quay lie, and which still survives even in todays difficult economic climate. The Fish Quay has in recent years seen the rise of other types of business as the traditional fishing industry waned somewhat, but there are still boatbuilders, a fish market and seafood shops in the area. This is bolstered further by bars, restaurants, and other small businesses, making a strong and hardworking community on the Fish Quay, and welcoming people from around the world to enjoy the rich heritage whilst sampling a superb range of food and drink.
We are within walking distance from either North Shields or Tynemouth Metro stations. There is also free parking in the area, and a very large car park within 50 yards.
We aim to support our local friends and businesses, and we do so by selling locally brewed beers and snacks at our venue. We want those who come to The Engine Room to enjoy whats on offer from the entire area, and would encourage people to spend some time here trying the food and drink, and take a walk along the quay, or along the promenade towards Tynemouth Priory Castle.
We look forward to welcoming you.