A popular Newcastle snooker club’s move into a new home has won the backing of council bosses. The Hustler closed its doors earlier this year, ahead of the planned demolition of the vacant Hadrian House block. The loss of a Geordie institution that had operated in the city centre for almost half a century left its regulars gutted, but the club subsequently announced that it was hoping to reopen in a new base.
Newcastle City Council has now granted planning permission for the former Newcastle Labour Club, next to Haymarket Metro station in the city centre, to be turned into a pool and snooker hall.
“High quality environment”
A council report said that the redevelopment would “provide a high quality environment and good standard of amenity, with no unacceptable adverse environmental and health impacts”.
It adds: “The proposed change of use from a pub/bar with a function room to a snooker/pool hall is considered acceptable. The proposed layout does not include a function room where parties can be held or live music played and is considered to have minimal impact on the surrounding area. Various noise mitigation measures were implemented as part of the development of the premises as a pub/bar which will sufficiently mitigate any noise which may arise from the operation as a snooker/pool hall.”
New premises
The Labour Club had moved to Haymarket in May 2025, leaving the premises on Leazes Park Road that it had traded from since the 1970s.
But it closed suddenly this April following a rent dispute with its landlords.
Hadrian House
The closure of the former Hustler snooker hall at Hadrian House came amid plans to knock down that disused 1970s block, in Higham Place, to make way for a £60 million student housing development.
Councillors had been due to decide last week whether that vision for a 21-storey accommodation complex, which would be among the city’s tallest buildings, could go ahead.
However, the verdict was delayed after city planners said they needed to consider a new set of planning rules announced by housing secretary Angela Rayner.
It is currently expected that the Hadrian House application will be considered by the council’s planning committee on Friday 4 September.
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