Best Public Toilets in Newcastle — Free, Accessible & the Story of the Netty

Newcastle's public toilet history is a dramatic arc. The city once had over 80 public toilet facilities — then by 2012, budget cuts led the council to lock all but one. In June 2023, Newcastle University held an exhibition at Newcastle City Library — The Rise and Decline of Newcastle's Public Toilets — charting this transformation. In March 2024, the city opened its first new council-operated public toilets since 2010, at the Civic Centre and Northern Stage. Use our Newcastle toilet finder for live locations.

The "Netty" — Newcastle's Dialect Word for Toilet

In Newcastle and the North East, a toilet is called a "netty" — one of the most distinctive regional dialect words in English. It derives from the Italian gabbinetti (cabinets), brought to the North East by Italian workers in the 19th century. It remains in everyday use and is deeply embedded in Geordie culture. The decline of the netty is a genuinely felt local grievance.

Current Public Toilet Locations in Newcastle

Newcastle Central Station: the city's most reliable provision — accessible, well-maintained
Eldon Square shopping centre: toilets in the St Andrew's Way extension
Grainger Market, Grainger Street: customer facilities in the historic indoor market
Quayside (Newcastle and Gateshead sides): facilities near the riverside
Newcastle Civic Centre: new Changing Places toilet (opened March 2024)
Northern Stage theatre, Barras Bridge: new Changing Places toilet (opened March 2024)

Newcastle has 51 RADAR key locations across the city — a higher number than many comparable cities, reflecting the network of locked disabled facilities at venues, arts centres, and public buildings.

The 2024 Changing Places Opening

The March 2024 opening at Newcastle Civic Centre and Northern Stage was significant: these were the first new council-operated public toilets in Newcastle since 2010. Funded by a £60,000 grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' Changing Places Fund, delivered in partnership with Muscular Dystrophy UK, each facility includes:

Adult-sized adjustable changing bench
Electric ceiling hoist
Adjustable sink
Space for wheelchair and two carers
Privacy screen and non-slip floor

Note: the facilities operate seasonal hours — closed at 6pm October to March; open until 8pm April to September.

The Bigg Market Victorian WC — Now a Wine Bar

One of Newcastle's most remarkable stories: the Victorian underground WC at Bigg Market, built in 1898, operated as a public convenience for over a century before closing in 2012. It was then restored using National Lottery Heritage Fund money and reopened in February 2020 as WC, a wine bar — retaining the original Victorian tiles, decorative ironwork, and even two of the original toilet cubicles as features. It's one of the most celebrated toilet conversions in the UK.

The 1853 cholera epidemic — which killed at least 1,500 of Newcastle's 90,000 residents — was a direct catalyst for the city's original Victorian public convenience programme. The Victorians understood the public health case for toilets. That understanding has not always been maintained.

Accessible Toilets and RADAR Key

With 51 registered RADAR key sites, Newcastle has reasonable accessible provision given its limited council-operated estate. Central Station and Eldon Square are your most accessible city-centre options. Get a RADAR key for £5 from Disability Rights UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "netty" mean in Newcastle?

A "netty" is the Geordie dialect word for toilet, derived from the Italian gabbinetti. It's in everyday use in Newcastle and across the North East — uniquely regional in the UK.

Where can I find a Changing Places toilet in Newcastle?

Newcastle Civic Centre and Northern Stage both have Changing Places toilets, opened in March 2024. Use changing-places.org for the full Newcastle register.

Why did Newcastle close most of its public toilets?

Budget cuts between 2010 and 2012 led Newcastle City Council to lock all but one of its public toilets. The 2024 Changing Places openings represent the first new council provision since then. A Newcastle University exhibition documented this decline in 2023.