The Laing is a free art gallery ran by a hybrid team of volunteers and paid staff. The entrance ad indeed the entire building is one of splendour and architectural triumph. The Laing is in partnership with Newcastle’s discovery museum and consequently the Gallery’s shop is bursting with really exquisite original pieces of useful and beautiful miscellaneous luxuries. The café Laing is an odd component to an otherwise expertly designed gallery.
The café is a room, with décor in keeping with the rest of the building, however it has a vast amount of emptiness – a void of art. For an art gallery it is a little disappointing as customers sit for coffee faced with a 12ft by 30ft sludge coloured blank wall. All is not lost as a beautiful (if not a little oddly positioned) stained glass installation lights up the bar, and In the centre of the café is a small marble sculpture of a naked couple which is tasteful-luckily!
The service was second to none, it’s well known that politeness costs nothing and the rather frazzled ‘teaman’ was delightfully courteous. Prices are a bonus as well as they’re more reasonable than expected for a café in a free gallery. This, as well as my pot of earl grey, was refreshing especially as everything around us seems to be going up in price. A pot of tea for one was £1.80 and a Large Cappuccino was £2.30.
On display were a selection of devilishly tempting homemade cakes and calorific chocolate treats, these were again not unreasonably priced.
The Laing is worth a visit if only for the amazing gift shop they have which really does provide you with a years worth of presents for the whole family.
Pot of tea: £1.80
Cappucino: £2.30
Location:
Higham Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8AG
0191 232 7734
STAR RATING:
***
