Regenerating Pilgrim Street
The redevelopment of Newcastle’s historic Pilgrim Street has been over ten years in the making for Ryder. We are pleased to share the milestones reached in 2025.
The project has been led by Ryder principal Ian Crow’s team since inception. Ian commented: “Having developed this project from the initial sketches, 2025 was a very exciting year for the team where we handed buildings over to three new occupiers who will call Pilgrim Street home. The impact of these projects has already been fantastic for Newcastle, and we look forward to seeing this city centre community spring to life over the coming years”.
Pilgrim’s Quarter
Pilgrim’s Quarter, the new home for HM Revenue and Customs in the north east, reached Practical Completion in early December and will now move straight into the tenant fitout phase, ahead of the building opening in 2027.
Accommodating approximately 4,500 staff at any one time over 460,000sqft of office space, the building will be the largest of HMRC’s 14 regional centres and has been designed to meet their specific requirements.
The building retains the 120m long façade and dome of the Grade II listed Carliol House, while creating a modern building that compliments the architecture of Newcastle’s central conservation area.
The project required the demolition of existing dilapidated buildings across the site, and the diversion of substantial city centre infrastructure in the enabling phase. The new building consolidates the full city block, creating a single cohesive development, renewing the public realm on adjacent streets and providing new footfall into the city’s retail core
Having worked with HMRC to deliver its award winning Government Hub in Liverpool’s India Buildings, Ryder understood the unique requirements of the brief, working closely with HMRC to ensure the highest design quality on this prominent city centre site.
Ryder led the design of the regeneration project from the masterplanning stage, alongside Avison Young and have delivered the development with Bowmer and Kirkland, Cundall, OOBE and Arup.
Fire Station, Hotel Gotham
Newcastle’s first five star hotel, Hotel Gotham, opened in November. Designed by Ryder, the project is a transformational redevelopment of the Grade II listed former Fire Station building on Pilgrim Street. The design welcomes visitors into the building’s private central courtyard and makes use of the unique hose tower structure at the heart of the building, to form the hotel entrance.
The 60 boutique hotel bedrooms are accessed at the upper floors, from glazed in balconies overlooking the courtyard. Ground floor space is given over to a unique bar and restaurant offer, with supporting hotel services housed within the basement.
The project’s second phase, within the former Police Station and Magistrates Court on Market street, will see an additional 30 bedrooms and events spaces opening in 2026.
The design has been developed in conjunction with Bespoke Hotels and their interior designer SquidInc, who have adapted Hotel Gotham’s brand standards to respond to the unique character of the Grade 2 listed building.
Worswick Chambers STACK
Following Ryder’s restoration and extension of Newcastle’s Grade II listed Worswick Chambers and 93-101 Pilgrim Street earlier this year, the space has now been transformed into a lively leisure and music venue, with operator fitout designed by Dunwoodie Swift Architects as part of a collaborative process.
Opening on 2 December, the new STACK – just a few doors down from its original location on Pilgrim Street – came with great anticipation having stood in a derelict condition behind scaffolding for decades.
The sensitive restoration works included asbestos removal, structural stabilisation, the complete replacement of floors and roofs, detailed restoration of facades, damp treatment to bring basements back into use, and the refurbishment of historic windows, staircases and cornices.
A modern extension contrasts and complements the historic building, incorporating steel framing, shipping containers, and aluminium cladding, creating open air terraces. The contemporary addition sits in harmony with the existing architecture while making way for new functions, including a new courtyard to host live music and entertainment.
Pilgrim Place
Construction is well underway at Pilgrim Place. The development is made of two buildings, 1 and 2 Pilgrim Place, set around a new public square – Pilgrim Place.
One Pilgrim Place will be occupied by DWP Service and Support Centre, with 2 Pilgrim Place open to the market.
The project forms the final phase of the Pilgrim Street regeneration, started with the successful Bank House office, which is now fully let. The development transforms the streets, public spaces and buildings to the east of Pilgrim Street and drives the regeneration of Newcastle’s city centre economy.