Chronicle Live: Inside Aveika as Newcastle Quayside restaurant loved by Harrison Ford undergoes glamorous £300,000 makeover

A Newcastle Quayside restaurant that has been visited by a host of famous faces from Harrison Ford to Amanda Staveley has undergone a glamorous new makeover.

Aveika, the Japanese restaurant and bar on Sandhill is set to reopen this weekend after undergoing an impressive £300,000 transformation.

The venue, which is owned by the Gainford Group, has been closed for a month while renovation works have taken place to revamp the space inside and out.

Gainford Group Director, Imran Khaliq, told Chronicle Live that he felt the time was right to give the venue a refresh after eight years of trading and hoped the new look would attract more diners during the daytime.

"We are finally ready to launch this Friday with a guest list event and then on Saturday, it will open to the public from 12pm," he said. "We wanted to open the place up because of its location and have taken the nightclub element away from it. We have opened it up so you can see inside and customers can enjoy the amazing views of the river.

"We are looking to attract more of a daytime trade and will open from 12pm onwards which is in line with our neighbours such as the Pitcher and Piano and the Hard Rock Cafe. We still have our nightclub up the road, Livello, but Aveika's concept will be about daytime trade and early evening."

Aveika has attracted a number of high-profile stars over the years including Hollywood actor Harrison Ford who popped in for lunch during a break from filming Indiana Jones in June 2021.

Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Stavely also enjoyed a night out at the venue later that year in October, shortly after taking over the club.

Visitors to the new-look Aveika will see its mezzanine level, which was once home to its VIP tables, has been transformed into an extension of the restaurant - which was named the best restaurant in the North East at the British Restaurant Awards last year.

Guests will also be able to enjoy live music and sets from the venue's resident DJ on weekends, with plans to show some major sporting events on big screens.

"The restaurant has been really successful and we just felt that deserved an expansion," Imran continued. "It is amazing and doesn't look like the same venue anymore."

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