The View from up HereThink what you want of the north, but Duncan Wilkie finds out that Aspers in Newcastle transcends the lore and myths to deliver a first-class casino experience.
If you thought life up north was all about flat-caps, Bovril and battered Mars bars, think again. Aspers at The Gate in Newcastle has single-handedly set about redefining the lazy stereotypes surrounding the north of England by providing a slick, contemporary gaming experience in a casino that seems to exude class from its very walls.
The 45,000-square-foot casino opened nearly four years ago as the Aspers chain’s flagship venue—and the lavishly furnished project still looks as grand today as it did when its first guests were met with a champagne reception back in October 2005. The interior is a mixture of deep reds, chocolate and purple and is trimmed with silk, cut stone and fine woods, which all combine to create a comfortable yet sophisticated gaming arena.
The walls of the 1,250 capacity casino are lined with no fewer than 27 multi-media plasma screens, which broadcast everything from live sport to tournament information and are liberally spread across the various gaming and lounge areas on three floors. Additional relaxation therapy is provided by an iPod lounge and on-site beauty salon, both of which create the perfect respite if you wish to take a break from the gaming tables—but with so many of them on offer, why would you?
The casino boasts a comprehensive range of table games including all the usual staples of American Roulette, blackjack and three-card poker as well as the rather less-common Wheel of Fortune game, in which, just like the show, a giant wheel is spun and players wager on which space it will stop. The perimeter of the gaming floor is also lined with 70 electronic roulette terminals and some 150 slot machines, meaning that even during peak hours you won’t have to wait long to find some action.
Of course, if games of chance aren’t your thing, why not take your edge over to Aspers’ dedicated card room for a wallet-friendly session of Texas hold ‘em? The 160-capacity poker room hosts a wide range of small buy-in tournaments and low-stakes cash games throughout the week and, like the rest of the casino, is always open. The spacious poker area has also played host to several large festivals—with Virgin Poker being the latest guests to set up shop in the North this year—and it’s always worth keeping an eye on their ever-changing monthly schedule.
Naturally, with so much to do at the casino you’re going to quickly work up quite a thirst, but with three bars and two restaurants under its roof, thankfully Aspers at The Gate will have little trouble to quench that problem. The casino has two watering holes, Air Bar—which provides live entertainment—and Lady O’s. Upstairs, Freya’s Restaurant serves up a range of hearty meals at fantastically Northern prices and Cafe Marie provides a selection of light, freshly-prepared snacks for those of the “time is money” persuasion.
As if all that wasn’t enough, Aspers at The Gate is also situated right in the middle of Newcastle’s nightlife hub, with a huge selection of pubs, clubs and the lively Chinatown area all just a stone’s throw away from the casino—perfect for celebrating another successful night at the tables.
Q & A with Chris Brown, Aspers, Newcastle, Cardroom Manager
How long have you been cardroom manager?
It’s been three years since I took over the card room here. I’ve been involved in poker for about five or six years now and had worked at Stanleys before moving here.
What games do you have on offer?
We’re pitched more at the lower level of the market so we tend to try and fill the place up every night with games that are accessible to most players. We have a £20 freezeout, a £5 rebuy, a £10 triple-chance and a £50 freezeout too–all of which are exclusively hold ‘em.
You recently had the Virgin Poker Festival in town. Are there any other tours that take place in Aspers?
We had Sky here a couple of weeks ago. We’ve also had the Betfred Ladies Night and it looks as though the Virgin poker festival is going to be here on a regular basis now. We also hold our own festivals, but we haven’t had any for a while because of the current calendar.
What’s the biggest game you hold here?
In terms of buy-in, the two-day £100 double chance is the biggest. The best attended is the Friday night £50 freezeout, which gets about 160 runners regularly. They come in, meet their friends and then they go out afterwards— if they do well, they go out and celebrate; if not, they go out and drown their sorrows. There’s a big social side to it because we’re Aspers at the Gate and we’re slap-bang in the centre of the nightlife in Newcastle.
Do you have many famous players stopping by?
We have a few footballers coming along—some of the Newcastle squad and the odd visiting team player too. We certainly do all right in terms of famous faces coming in.
What’s the toughest ruling you’ve ever had to make?
It usually depends on how drunk the players are. I don’t really remember any specific incidents but we’ve had to stop people having fights outside due to rulings that have been made on the tables. Like I say, we’re in the middle of the nightlife so occasionally you get someone who’s had a few too many coming in, but it’s never anything too serious.
Sum up your typical Newcastle poker player in three words.
Fun, aggressive and loud. That’s aggressive in a poker sense, mind. |
