Shearer's Bar

Shearer's Bar is a football-themed sports bar operated by Newcastle United at St James' Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The venue opened in December 2004 and was created as part of the stadium's supporter-focused hospitality and entertainment facilities. Its name commemorates Alan Shearer, Newcastle United's all-time leading goalscorer and one of the most prominent players in the club's history. The bar was designed to serve Newcastle United supporters and became an established match-day destination within the stadium. It has generally been capable of accommodating up to approximately 1,000 people on match days, making it substantially larger than a conventional pub and allowing it to function as a gathering space before and after fixtures. Beyond match-day use, the venue became associated with Newcastle's wider football culture and was described as a city attraction. The venue's development reflected the growing importance of stadium-based food, drink, and social spaces to professional football clubs. It competed for custom with nearby hospitality facilities, including The Terrace bar next door, and was refurbished in response to that competitive environment. The venue also received recognition through the Best Bar None awards, including an award in 2007. In July 2013, Newcastle United changed the name to Nine. The club said that the venue's popularity had declined, and the renaming removed the direct Shearer reference from the public-facing identity while retaining the location and function of the bar. Following a change in the club's ownership, the venue was renamed Shearer's Bar, also styled as Shearers, in March 2022. The restoration of the name re-established its association with Alan Shearer and Newcastle United supporter culture. Shearer's Bar is therefore best understood as a club-owned hospitality venue and football-supporter brand rather than a standalone consumer drinks brand. Its identity is tied closely to St James' Park, Newcastle United match days, and the historical importance of Alan Shearer to the club.

Shearer's Bar was established by Newcastle United as part of the club's stadium hospitality facilities at St James' Park. It opened in December 2004 in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city where football is a central part of local cultural life. The venue was named after Alan Shearer, the club's all-time leading goalscorer and a major figure in Newcastle United's modern history. From its opening, the bar was aimed primarily at supporters. Its position inside the stadium enabled it to operate as a large match-day gathering place, with reported capacity of up to approximately 1,000 people on match days. It also developed a broader profile as a city attraction, extending its role beyond a conventional stadium concourse or corporate hospitality room. The venue combined food and drink service with the social experience of following Newcastle United. The bar's commercial and operational development included a refurbishment undertaken in response to competition from The Terrace, a neighboring bar. This indicates that the venue was managed as part of a broader stadium hospitality offer, where facilities competed for supporters' time and spending. It also received external recognition through the Best Bar None scheme, including an award in 2007. In July 2013, Newcastle United changed the venue's name to Nine. The club explained the decision by saying that the bar's popularity had dwindled. The new name altered the venue's public identity, although the bar remained in the same stadium setting and continued to serve a supporter and hospitality function. After a change in Newcastle United's ownership, the venue returned to its former identity in March 2022. The restored name, Shearer's Bar or Shearers, reconnected the facility with Alan Shearer and the club's historical relationship with him. The renaming also reflected the enduring strength of the Shearer association among Newcastle supporters. The venue's history illustrates how football clubs use stadium spaces to build hospitality businesses and supporter destinations around club heritage. Shearer's Bar has not operated as an independent chain or widely distributed consumer brand; its meaning and commercial role remain closely tied to Newcastle United, St James' Park, match-day attendance, and the symbolic status of Alan Shearer.

• 2022

  Name restored

  [1]Shearer's Baren.wikipedia.org

  Following Newcastle United's ownership change, the venue was renamed Shearer's Bar again in March.

• 2013

  Renamed Nine

  [1]Shearer's Baren.wikipedia.org

  Newcastle United renamed the venue Nine in July, attributing the decision to declining popularity.

• 2007

  Best Bar None award recognition

  [1]Shearer's Baren.wikipedia.org

  The bar received recognition through the Best Bar None awards, including an award reported for 2007.

• 2004

  Venue opens at St James' Park

  [1]Shearer's Baren.wikipedia.org

  Newcastle United opened Shearer's Bar in December as a supporter-focused sports bar within St James' Park.

A Newcastle United-affiliated sports and hospitality venue serving supporters and visitors at St James' Park, with a name and identity connected to club legend Alan Shearer.

• Sports bar · 2004

  Shearer's Bar hospitality venue

  The core offering is a club-owned sports-bar experience inside St James' Park. It provides drinks, refreshments, supporter social space, and match-day hospitality, with reported capacity of up to approximately 1,000 people on match days. Its value proposition is based on proximity to Newcastle United fixtures and the venue's association with Alan Shearer rather than on a packaged product sold outside the stadium.

• 2022

  Restoration of the Shearer's Bar nameStrategy

  Background

  The venue's ownership context changed after Newcastle United's change in ownership, and the club restored the former identity.

  Action taken

  The bar was renamed back to Shearer's Bar, also styled Shearers, in March 2022.

  Aftermath

  The change re-established the venue's direct association with Alan Shearer and Newcastle United supporter heritage.

  Source

• 2013

  Renaming of Shearer's Bar as NineStrategy

  Background

  Newcastle United said that the venue's popularity had declined.

  Action taken

  The club changed the bar's name to Nine in July 2013.

  Aftermath

  The venue later reverted to the Shearer's Bar identity in 2022.

  Source

1. 1Shearer's Baren.wikipedia.org