Newcastle upon Tyne (usually shortened to Newcastle) is a city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is located along the north bank of the River Tyne and was formerly the county town of Northumberland. The city is the 20th most populous in England; the larger Tyneside conurbation, of which Newcastle forms part, is the sixth most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom. Newcastle is a member of the English Core Cities Group and (with Gateshead) the Eurocities network of European cities.
People from Newcastle and surrounding areas are commonly called Geordies.
Newcastle International Airport is located on the northern outskirts of the city near Ponteland. The airport handles over five million passengers per year, and is expecting to reach 10 million passengers by 2016, and 15 million by 2030. As of 2007, over 90 destinations are available world-wide.
Newcastle has a reputation for being a fun-loving city with many bars, restaurants and nightclubs. More recently, Newcastle has become popular as a destination for Stag and Hen parties. Newcastle was in the top ten of the country's top night spots, and The Rough Guide to Britain placed Newcastle upon Tyne's nightlife as Great Britain's no. 1 tourist attraction. The city contains many theatres. The largest, the Theatre Royal on Grey Street, first opened in 1837. There are several major shopping areas in Newcastle city centre. The largest of these is the Eldon Square Shopping Centre, which incorporates the first and largest Fenwick department store, and a John Lewis store (formerly known as Bainbridge) which is often cited as the first department store in the world.
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