Bottoms (really) up for some high level drinking

It never ceases to amaze me just where some people will venture for a drink. And there are some pretty far out tales out in the world of beer.


This one is from the North East, where it’s a very wacky world nowadays as the region morphs from its erstwhile industry roots to a rising star of culture and tourism. And they’ve come up with what must rank among the wackiest of beer stunts.

It’s happening in the increasingly hip city of Gateshead, with its imposing Baltic Arts Centre - a former flour mill - and hugely impressive Sage Concert Hall.

But, remember the seventies cult gangster movie Get Carter with Michael Caine? Set on Tyneside, it featured Gateshead’s Trinity Car Park in one of its many horrendously violent scenes. An icon of ‘Brutalist’ design it still stands-just-complete with a never-ever-used-for-forty-years roof top restaurant that commands amazing panoramas.

Now, as the highlight of the EAT! NewcastleGateshead promotion of the region’s food and drink next month (May) both diners and beer drinkers will be able to capture the spirit of the would-be high level dining spot.

Except in this one guests will experience the wind in their hair and perhaps a slight longing for a parachute; the only thing between derriere and terra firma will be some 150 feet of the River Tyne's freshest spring breeze. Volunteers - or victims maybe - will be suspended on a platform next to the car park for the hour long sessions.

Festival organiser Simon Preston, a man with a long pedigree in far-out ideas including ‘guerrilla restaurants’ and ‘blind’ dining and in the past two year’s fests, came up with the wheeze. So he asked the Belgian based Dine in the Sky team to tackle the task. They will raise the platform to the height of the forlorn restaurant for a couple of days to offer a fine dining and beer sampling experiences to ‘adventurous’ souls.

Two beer tasting events are being run by award winning beer writer and Newcastle journalist Alastair ‘I don’t like heights’ Gilmour.

Alastair will take guests through a range of great regional ales while pointing out the location of the Tyne’s brewers both past and present – if he can bear to look down. The sessions are one hour long and cost £15. See www.newcastlegateshead.com/2790/EAT_carter.html for details. Despite his vertiginous inclination Alastair told me over a beer that he just could not say no to some high level tasting. “If someone else had done it instead I would have regretted it forever.”

Well, let’s hope he enjoys himself. If it appeals, there’s something else you should know. While you will be perfectly safe strapped into your seat you will need to take suitable precautions in another department; there is definitely no popping to the loo!

*Footnote: If you want to keep your feet firmly on the ground but still enjoy the EAT! festival you can book one of 10 Secret Paladares – a Cuban eating concept where you visit a private home to eat. There’s a wide range of ethnic foods available including Jewish and Colombian.