The former home of much-loved city nightspot is now set for a new lease of life as Irish-theme pub The Dubliner.
From the seventies onwards, Julie's on Newcastle quayside was one of the city's best-loved clubs and generations of revellers still have fond memories of its heyday. So, it's no surprise that news the closed-down building is now preparing to reopen is generating huge excitement on social media.
Daniel Van Hymus is the man behind the plan to breathe new life into the ground floor of the iconic building, with the opening of the quayside's 'first Irish bar' The Dubliner. With a revamp set to take place outside and in, he plans to have the bar open in June, in time to tap into the season of summer events in the city including the Blaydon Race and Sam Fender's upcoming dates at St James' Park.
Read more: Newcastle nights out in the 80s - neon cocktails, sticky carpets, mirrored walls and glitter balls
This will be Daniel's first pub venture. After university, he worked freelance in the bar and restaurant trade but says "I've had the idea for an Irish bar for years".
He told Chroniclelive "I just love Dublin" and he wants to create the same kind of traditional pub with music that is found in Temple Bar. When the opportunity came up to take on the old quayside building, at 12 Close, he grabbed it.
At 23, he admits that Julie's was "a little bit before my time" but he understands the deep affection in which the club was held. And he is looking forward to seeing the building back at the centre of city nightlife.
Clearly others feel the same and his posts on The Dubliner's Facebook page have been sparking interest, through questions about what beer, other than Guinness, customers would like to see on draught and photographs of the award-winning pies - being supplied by The Mill House in Birtley - which will be on the menu.
Daniel has even announced the pub's first live band, Camel Island. Among the responses to news of the upcoming opening was one comment from a person who "can't wait to visit", saying "About time this building got put to good use" and adding "who doesn't love a Irish bar".
Another wrote: "Good Luck, looking forward to seeing the place come to life." Other comments included "Definitely give this a visit"; "we need a night out here" and "looking forward to it".
In response to one message reading: "Well overdue to see that building brought back to life. Looking forward to seeing the refit and good luck for the future", The Dubliner replied: "We’ll do our best to do it justice!"
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