Fenwick Newcastle remains the grande dame of Northumberland Street

For generations of Geordies, a trip into town is not complete without a wander through Fenwick. The Northumberland Street flagship is where the whole story began, and it remains both the company's headquarters and its flagship store.

John James Fenwick, born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in 1846, had worked in his father's grocer's shop and served as an apprentice draper before opening his own business in Newcastle in 1882 as a mantle maker and furrier. His first premises were a former doctor's house at 5 Northumberland Street, bought for £181 and 4 shillings, selling fabrics, silk, clothes and trimmings.

The business soon expanded into numbers 37, 38 and 40 Northumberland Street, which remain the flagship today. His eldest son Fred joined in 1890 after training in retail in Paris, and is said to have been inspired by Le Bon Marché, regarded as one of the first department stores.

Today the Newcastle store is a collection of interconnected buildings with entrances onto Northumberland Street, Eldon Square, Monument Metro station and Blackett Street. It is one of the few UK department stores to keep a food hall, and in 2022 Fenwick announced £40 million of investment over five years in the flagship, adding two new atria and renovating the beauty hall and accessories area.

The food hall has become a showcase for local talent. In autumn 2025 Pink Lane Bakery arrived by the deli counter with sourdough, pastries, pies and sausage rolls, and in July 2026 Gateshead's Savour Bakery established its own dedicated presence in the store. In September 2025 Fenwick also launched MyFenwick, a loyalty programme for shoppers in store and online.

And then there is Christmas. Fenwick's window displays, filled with detailed sets and moving figures, have appeared since 1971 and are a much-loved part of the festive season in the city. With the Christmas shop already filled with decorations, crackers and advent calendars, the countdown has well and truly begun.

More than 140 years after J. J. Fenwick opened his doors, the store still feels like a Newcastle institution rather than simply a place to shop.

Opening times, events and the latest collections can be found on the Fenwick website.