Inside Aspers Casino as Newcastle venue unveils new bar and Poker Club after stunning £500,000 revamp

Aspers Casino in Newcastle has undergone a stunning £500,000 transformation as it looks to attract more than just gamers and gamblers through its doors.

The well-known venue inside The Gate has spent months creating a stylish bar, called Freya's Bar, and a new entertainment area where visitors can enjoy live music as well as sport on big screens.

It comes as Aspers' bosses look to offer "more than just a traditional casino" in the hopes of appealing to new customers who want to enjoy a relaxed day or night out with friends.

READ MORE: Nestlé fined £800,000 after worker suffers serious injury after getting arm caught in Rolo machine at Fawdon factory

Aspers general manager, David Tait, said: "Aspers has always been open to everyone and we have always had lots of bars and restaurants, but people probably didn't really know where they were as they were hidden away a little bit.

"We have revamped the restaurant area and put two new bars in it now. We have got an entertainment area with live music on every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm.

"It has got a big stage and big screens showing all the live sport. [We wanted to create] a new atmosphere and a new area where people can come in, relax, have a beer and a bite to eat, and have a nice night and not necessarily have to gamble.

"It is very much about demonstrating that we are more than just a traditional casino. We have traditional games, slot machines, and Roulette and Blackjack [but] have also got entertainment, nice bars, and spaces for different types of groups."

David added: "A traditional view of a casino can sometimes be that it is a bit dark and gloomy and this is definitely not that. We are trying to open it out so that people understand that it is for more than just gaming."

The venue, which has been open for 17 years, employs 150 staff and is open from midday until 4am every day.

Manager David said it was great the business has been able to invest in the city following the challenges the leisure industry faced during the pandemic.

"I think everybody in the leisure industry will know that it has been a really hard slog coming out of Covid and everybody has had their own challenges," he said.

"This is something really positive for us, we are investing in the business, in the city, and in the jobs. It looks really cool and I want the people of Newcastle to come and see it."

READ NEXT:

• Newcastle restaurant closes just six months after opening on Dean Street
• Kim Kardashian watches Whitley Bay model in New York Fashion Week show with Bella Hadid - this is how it happened
• Seven Stories in Newcastle launches Christmas events with free entry for adults to help struggling families
• Popular Gin and Rum Festival returns to Newcastle with freebies up for grabs
• Ouseburn's Arch 2 Brewpub says goodbye to popular Thali Tray as it gets set to launch new food offering