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COMMERCIAL

City Hall & City Baths, Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1

Offers Invited
RPRS, Covering London
PROPERTY TYPE

Leisure Facility

SIZE

75,000 sq ft

6,968 sq m

Key features

  • LEASE FOR SALE - EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST BY 2 JUNE 2026
  • Long leasehold interest - approx. 115 years unexpired
  • Substantial city centre leisure complex
  • Includes City Baths (pools, spa, Turkish baths), City Hall (concert venue)
  • New operator to purchase the head lease
  • Passing rent: £50,000 per annum
  • Underlease to Academy Music Group Ltd
  • Undertenant pays a rent in form of profit share agreement
  • Additional derelict school to rear - development potential (STP & consents)
  • Significant capital expenditure undertaken (approx. £5m over five years)

Description

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST INVITED

Lease for sale. Interested parties are invited to submit their expression of interest by 2 June 2026.


OVERVIEW

City Hall & City Baths comprises a landmark mixed use leisure and cultural complex in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne. The Grade II Listed property includes a major concert venue, swimming pools, spa and Turkish baths, gym facilities, food and beverage areas, and a derelict school building with development potential.

The whole property extends to approximately 75,000 sq ft and has benefitted from substantial investment, including the reopening of the pools, spa, gym and café/bar facilities. The property is operationally intensive but presents a rare opportunity to acquire a long leasehold interest with a very low passing rent relative to the scale of accommodation.

The City Baths have been subject to c. £5m of renovation works and currently has c.1,000 members. There are significant opportunities to grow membership numbers and the upper floors are underdeveloped.

The City Hall has a capacity of 2,640 is underlet to Academy Music Group Ltd with a profit share arrangement. Details can be found in the Buyer Pack.

The derelict school to the rear is included within the lease and offers a separate development opportunity, subject to landlord consent and planning.

The head lease is for sale on behalf of joint administrators and a new operator is sought to purchase the head lease and operate City Baths.


LOCATION

City Hall & City Baths occupies a prime city centre location and a prominent position on Northumberland Road, in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne city centre, immediately adjacent to Northumbria University, Sport Central, and a wide range of civic, cultural and leisure amenities. The property sits within one of the most established and vibrant parts of the city, benefitting from strong footfall, excellent public transport links and proximity to major arterial routes.

Newcastle Central Station is approximately 0.7 miles to the south west, with Manors Station around 0.3 miles to the south. Road links are strong, with the A167(M) (Central Motorway) circa 0.2 miles away, providing swift access to the A1(M) to the west and wider regional and national motorway network.

The surrounding area includes university buildings, student accommodation, the O2 City Hall, Newcastle City Library, and a broad mix of retail, hospitality and cultural destinations. The location supports sustained demand from leisure operators, cultural organisations and destination led businesses.

There are several major public car parks are located within a 1-4 minute walk, including NCP John Dobson Street (150m), Ellison Place (200m), Saville Place (250m) and Sandyford Square (350m). Additional multi storey and surface car parks are available within 500m, providing extensive short stay and long stay capacity for visitors and operators.


FLOOR AREA

City Baths - 3,565 m² / 38,374 sq ft
City Hall - 2,754 m² / 29,643 sq ft
Vine Lane School - 575 m² / 6,189 sq ft
TOTAL - 6,894 m² / 74,206 sq ft

RPRS have not measured the building and have been provided with these measurements. Purchasers must satisfy themselves and make their own investigations.


THE LEASE

Head Lease
* Term: 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2141
* Approx. 115 years unexpired
* Passing rent: £50,000 per annum
* Use: Leisure facility and concert venue
* Full repairing and insuring

Underlease - City Hall
* Tenant: Academy Music Group Ltd T/A O2 Academy
* Term: 1 January 2019 - 21 March 2141
* Rent: Peppercorn + 50% profit share above £500,000
* Service charge and insurance payable annually
* Tenant break: 25th anniversary
* Internal repairing only


BUYER PACK

The Buyer Pack is available upon request and includes:
* Leases
* Floor plans
* Compliance documents
* Current membership details
* F&F inventory
* and more

Information has been provided by current operator and buyers must check the documents and undertake their own investigations.


SERVICES

We understand the property has mains electricity, water, gas and drainage. There are substantial plant rooms. None of the plant and machinery have been tested and interested parties should make their own investigations.


FIXTURES AND FITTINGS

All fixtures and fittings are available by way of separate negotiation.


EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST INVITED

Interested parties are invited to submit their expression of interest to by 2 June 2026.


GUIDE PRICE

Offers Invited.


VAT

VAT may be applicable to the lease premium. Purchasers to make their own enquiries.


EPC

To be confirmed


NOTE

As this is an insolvency related sale, we have limited information available. Interested parties should make their own investigations on all matters.

Brochures

Particulars

City Hall & City Baths, Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1

Approximate location

NEAREST STATIONS

Distances are straight line measurements from the centre of the postcode
  • Manors Station0.3 miles
  • Jesmond Metro Station0.4 miles
  • St James Station0.5 miles

About RPRS, Covering London

Covering London
Industry affiliations:Industry affiliation logo 0

RPRS is a national property agency selling commercial and residential properties.

RPRS sells properties for both private clients and corporate clients.

Sales on behalf of private clients will include normal residential houses.

Sales on behalf of corporate clients will primarily include insolvency related properties.

Property sales will either be conducted as normal private treaty sales or sold through the RPRS online auction.

Notes

These notes are private, only you can see them.

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