Amber Taverns takes on the old Goose site in Newcastle and renames it The Gander

A big wet-led site in the middle of Newcastle has a new owner. Amber Taverns has taken on the pub that was The Goose and then The Magpie, and plans to reopen it as The Gander after an extensive refurbishment, ChronicleLive reports. No opening date has been given.

The building sits near The Gate, next to The Percy Arms and the Three Bulls Heads, and close to St James' Park. Over the years it has traded as The Filament & Firkin and Scruffy Murphy's. The Goose, known for very low prices on food and drink, closed suddenly in September 2024. It reopened under new owners as The Magpie, a Newcastle United-themed bar, which closed in June after about 18 months.

In a Facebook post, The Gander is described as a brand new pub undergoing an extensive refurbishment.

For your venue: Amber Taverns runs community, drinks-led pubs, so a large refurbished site near the ground will compete hard on price and on matchdays. If you're nearby, know what your matchday offer is and whether your regulars are there for value, the welcome, or the screens. Two operators have already struggled on this site in two years, so the pitch matters as much as the location.