It was dinner time 45 years ago at the Royal Turk's Head hotel on Newcastle's Grey Street.
Even the most renowned of venues need an upgrade now and again, and the venerable city centre hotel had recently re-launched in September 1977 after an "extensive modernisation programme brought it in step with modern times", the Chronicle reported. All the bedrooms now had telephone, radio and TV; the Green Lounge Bar guaranteed "comfortable seating, good service and a pleasant atmosphere"; and in the Red Rover Bar - "a favourite meeting place for locals" - you could enjoy a quick lunch from around 50p.
Our main image shows the Bewick Restaurant which, "with its plush surroundings and air conditioning is the ideal situation for turning a quiet meal into a memorable occasion". Otherwise, it was business as usual at the long-standing Royal Turk's which had earned a reputation as one of the best hotels in the city.
