It's now been close to 21 years since two major TV stars made the switch from showbiz to hospitality to become the part owners of a bar in Newcastle and now that exact same venue is a chain restaurant, with many of its diners, including a few famous footballers, having no clue that it was once in the charge of the A-list duo.
It was back in 2003 that Ant and Dec decided having been big fans of the Jonny Ringo's bar on Mosley Street, decided to invest £175,000 in having a half share in the business, before re-opening it as The Lodge, a place that quickly became popular with after work drinkers, sports fans or people wanting someone to start off their night before heading down to the Quayside, which in those days had loads of popular nightspots like Casa, Chase, Bar 38, Pravda and of course Baja Beach Club and Buffalo Joes, over the other side of the Swing Bridge.
Speaking at the official launch, Dec, who was 27 at the time, said: "It's hard to believe really. It's something we've always talked about - opening your own pub - but it's one of those things you dream about and never think it will happen."
READ MORE: Packed out party bar now just an empty shell on banks of the River Tyne
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The Lodge, on the site of an old bank, was part of Newcastle's nightlife scene for 10 years, before closing down in 2013 and then being totally transformed to take on a whole new identity as Miller & Carter steak restaurant, with the city centre venue the first of a number to open in the region, being followed by restaurants in Gosforth Park and Sunderland.
In the last 10 years, Miller & Carter has established itself as one of the city's most popular places to eat and several Newcastle United stars have dined there over the last few years, including Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Alexander Isak, with staff delighted when all three turned up on the same night in 2022. Brit winner Sam Fender has also tucked into a meal at the restaurant as well.
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