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Never been, never wanted to go...but turns out I'm going there next Saturday.
Doing an overnighter as going to the Stadium of Light as an away fan (up the Swans!).
Got a B&B near the seafront..that's all I know.
Will be out for beers and food in the evening...where's good (as in not get kicked in as soon as I open my mouth as I clearly won't sound like a local, and hoping we'll have beaten them during the day so there might be some pissed-oo black Cats fans wanting some Welsh ass*), where's to be avoided etc etc?
Any pointers, please feel free...
*not literally
where's to be avoided
Sunderland
Hmmm...not the replies I wanted but the replies I expected.
My post was going to be 'Sundeland...what's it for?' but didn't want to offend anyone on here that might be from there...digs booked so stuck there.
It's actually pronounced 'Sunlan' & they still eat their young.
Take cash, they don't have card machines yet.
Make sure you grab a handful of it out of your pocket at the bar, riffle through it looking for a fiver then hand em' a £20 for a pint of Brown.
HTH's.
As is, yes there are rough bits but I suspect you'll be fine because despite the piss taking it really ain't [i]that[/i] bad.
But I get the impression you'll be there pre-post a football match yes ? If so go to Durham.
rascal - Member
Doing an overnighter as going to the Stadium of Light as an away fan (up the Swans!).
Nice. Sunderland are down anyway so little for them to play for.
Getting free tickets? [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39831266 ]Swansea City: Players to pay for fans' tickets at Sunderland[/url]
Crucial thing is to not look or sound like a Newcastle fan I think.
Crucial thing is to not look or sound like a Newcastle fan I think.
This is vital.
TBF I was on the seafront at Roker earlier this year & it looked like a few bob had been spent on it, seemed to be some decent looking eateries as well.
Which is canny taxi ride away though. Best bet would've been to stay in Durham & travel to the match.But I get the impression you'll be there pre-post a football match yes ? If so go to Durham.
Hi mate
I live in sunderland and I'm originally from Wales as has been said before it's suffered from years of under investment. The sea front's ok Fat Buddha for food is fine, drinking in the town centre's much the same as many other places; Yates, Witherspoon, Revolutions etc. There are a few real ales pubs and eateries that do smoked meats, ribs and burgers etc. Don't worry about the locals I've been up here 18 years and never had a spot of bother, the locals are spot on.
In saying that if I was you and was coming up all the way from Swansea I'd jump on the metro (there's a station right by the stadium) and get yourself to Newcastle.
Cheers
Nick
Crucial thing is to not look or sound like a Newcastle fan I think.
Or foreign in any way. Not that a Mackem can identify a foreign person - despite having voted overwhelmingly to send them home there aren't any foreigners there.
To answer your question - it's like a sneak preview of death.
I live here. Scottish expat. The people are mostly decent but the city centre is vile.
The older generation are still getting used to the influx of foreign students - the city is propped up by their fees and spending power.
My house is for sale and my wanting to move back to Aberdeen should give you a clue about my present surroundings.
All that said, the countryside round here is varied and verging on lush. I'll miss that.
Bought them but getting money back 🙂Getting free tickets? Swansea City: Players to pay for fans' tickets at Sunderland
Live in Loughborough now so nowhere near as far to come - we'll keep our heads down and try some of the ale-y pubs as not really into Yates et-al...tends to be where the twunts hang out 😉In saying that if I was you and was coming up all the way from Swansea I'd jump on the metro (there's a station right by the stadium) and get yourself to Newcastle.
some cracking pubs in Durham, well worth a visit.
theres a great cycling cafe called faustos on the sea front. they've just moved to bigger premises. the rest punches below its weight. it has a large northern town vibe despite being a really big place and officially a city.
I used to think Sunderland was an awful place, then I went out with a girl from there and actually grew to like it. At the time there was a sense of identity that I never knew it had. It depends very much on which places you stray into though..! Many of the mainstream bars and clubs were dire.
That was over a decade ago mind. Wouldn't have a clue where to go now.
I'd seriously get the metro to Newcastle or cab to Durham for a decent taste of the northeast. Sunderland isn't great.
despite being a really big place
LOL! It's tiny, blink and you would miss it.
Go to Durham
Go to Hartlepool first. Sunderland will seem loads better after that.
Go to Durham
& that's from Mackem! Says a lot!
I'm from Sunderland, lived here on and off for the past 41 years. It's terrible & the Luftwaffe should be invited back to assist in redevelopment. People are generally great though.
pub wise: fitzgeralds on green terrace is great, as are the other bars on that street. For a proper night out though I'd jump on the metro to Newcastle.
"Got a b&b near the seafront" sounds ominous. I'd be scouring the TripAdvisor reviews very carefully.
Come to Durham as said earlier. Loads of good restaurants and pubs. Plenty of hotels and B&B's.
The best pubs in Sunderland are the Isis and the Dun Cow. The latter is opposite the Motiraj where you can get a nice curry. Job done, then a 5 minute taxi ride back to Roker.
You won't be shouted at or attacked. It just won't happen. The best thing I ever did was leave home but I'm sure you'll survive one night.
Don't bother with Durham. That's like booking a hotel in Leeds and popping to Sheffield for a pint.
Durham is 10 mins down the A690 from the City centre.
Durham is 10 mins down the A690 from the City centre
Flat out on an R1 maybe but not in reality.
Only place in the UK where my wife and I have received any racist treatment, therefore the whole place must be racist, and we never returned. Not that there was much point,as we lived in Newcastle anwyay, and why would you leave Newcastle to go to Sunderland.
Should give you an idea
http://www.themag.co.uk/2017/05/sunderland-fans-comment-throughout-newcastle-brighton-matches-must-read-newcastle-united/
Go to Newcastle.
Flat out on an R1 maybe but not in reality.
Oooh! Can I page you for availability.
[url= http://www.ilivehere.co.uk/sunderland-why-god-why.html ]sunderland-why-god-why[/url]
Went to uni there, now live in Durham. Its pretty dire, but as with anywhere there's a few hidden gems. Ivy house is canny and to be honest, you'll struggle to find a cheaper night out than Sunderland. But I'll echo Newcastle and Durham as being well worth the metro/taxi fare.
Good shout about the Ivy House I had a great pizza last time I was in there.
Basically;
Should the OP sell his house and move his family to Sunderland? Definitely not.
Can he get a good meal and a few drinks without having the worst night of his life? Yes of course.
Newcastle or Durham are worth a dedicated trip not just rushing from a taxi to a restaurant and back again to avoid imaginary horrors.
I was in Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday night and we still managed some drinks and a meal and some craic with the locals. Even though the whole place looks like a scrap yard that fell out of the sky.
Newcastle or Durham are worth a dedicated trip not just rushing from a taxi to a restaurant and back again to avoid imaginary horrors.
No need to rush between the taxis and the restaurant though.
Ivy house is canny
Right enough now it isn't the smokiest pub in the world. Used to be unbearable, even when I was on a packet of baccy a day. Fair way from Roker though.
On that note, The Stables at Herrington (sort of still Sunderland) is the best kept secret in Britain. Still smells of horses all these years later but in a very good way.
Right enough now it isn't the smokiest pub in the world. Used to be unbearable, even when I was on a packet of baccy a day. Fair way from Roker though.
Used to frequent there as a student. Think it was fairly mixed locals/students but memory is a little hazy.
I never had any trouble as a Southerner up there, most people where friendly and had a good laugh.... except when I couldn't handle my drink and got too mouthy.
Thats where I grew up where you're staying. It's is okay, not a massive amount of pubs down that area though to be honest.
You'll be pretty close to the Roker Hotel is relatively neutral until later on (ie. 11ish then it gets a bit laddish). Italian Restaurant underneath is you just want some scran.
As mentioned, Fausto Coffee will be a nice cuppa in the morning before the match right on the beach.
Done plenty of pub crawls round there but it's a bit of a residential area so its a hike between bars, and most are quiet 'locals'. Be careful of you start wandering in the direction of town from there, there is a bit of rougher area between you and the Wear Bridge that might not be so friendly in the pubs.
To be honest, if you go into town I can't see you having much issue, though it's a bit of a dive but hey, it was home for a long time and plenty worse (I've been to Preston!). Studenty pubs in town are okay, it'll be 5/10 min taxi to Fitzgeralds (if still there) in Green Terrace and around that vicinity at the top of town.
You're about 10/15 walk from Stadium of Light (and it has a Metro station right there) if you want to go into Newcastle - 20 min journey, get a saver ticket and it'll be a couple of quid return.
I'd just skip the late night kebab/chip shops on way home if you want to keep out the way.
Thanks all - Sunderland really does sound delightful.
Which is why we're going to Geordieland after the game instead 😉
..just dont take a horse with you.