Centurion Bar, Newcastle Station

I first glimpsed this extraordinary interior about 10 years ago from the doorway.  Within was the intimidating spectacle of a vast darkened room, echoing to the declamatory racket of a regiment of raucous drinkers, their attention fixed on a Premier League football game showing on an enormous plasma screen. On that occasion I went no further but promised to return at a more opportune moment.  Last August was my chance to revisit and we must thank the North Eastern Railway for this dazzling space - in 1892-93 the space was transformed by architect William Bell from a conventional waiting room into a beautiful ceramic clad First Class Refreshment Room. A Baroque styled decorative scheme was applied in faience supplied by Burmantofts of Leeds that not only covered the walls but extended upward to enclose the lantern ceiling surround. Browns, yellows and greens predominate. There was an interlude in the 1960s when the room was converted for British Transport Police use as holding cells for Geordie miscreants and it was only in 2000 that the stud walls came down to reveal the concealed ceramic splendour. When restoration was complete the only absent feature was the semicircular faience-clad bar that was lost at some point. It’s a reminder of how unusual it is in this country that the public are permitted to patronise such opulent premises without paying a premium for the privilege.