# Gosforth Park > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gosforth_Park > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gosforth_Park.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosforth_Park > Source revision: 1355127956 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England Not to be confused with [Gosford Park](/source/Gosford_Park). For the nearby park, see [Gosforth Central Park](/source/Gosforth_Central_Park). Gosforth Park Newcastle Racecourse in Gosforth Park Location Gosforth Nearest city Newcastle upon Tyne Coordinates 55°01′52″N 1°36′43″W / 55.0311°N 1.6119°W / 55.0311; -1.6119 Created c. 1760 **Gosforth Park** is a park north of [Gosforth](/source/Gosforth) in the city of [Newcastle upon Tyne](/source/Newcastle_upon_Tyne), England. It houses [Newcastle Racecourse](/source/Newcastle_Racecourse), Virgin Money Unity Arena, a [Britannia](/source/Britannia_Hotels) hotel, two golf courses, a garden centre and a football centre. It is also home to [Gosforth Nature Reserve](/source/Gosforth_Nature_Reserve), a private [SSSI](/source/SSSI) managed by the [Natural History Society of Northumbria](/source/Natural_History_Society_of_Northumbria), consisting of a lake and woodland. The park was laid out by Charles [Brandling](/source/Brandling_of_Newcastle) (1733–1802), a wealthy coal-mine owner and local politician, to adorn his new mansion, [Gosforth House](/source/Gosforth_House) (now Brandling House, the racecourse hospitality and conference centre), built 1755–64. Up to the 1950s tramcars came into the park on race days through a special gate from what was then the [A1 Great North Road](/source/Great_North_Road_(Great_Britain)). Between 2016 and 2019 the two walled gardens and [icehouse](/source/Ice_house_(building)) at Gosforth Park were the subject of archaeological investigations by AAG Archaeology, prior to the gardens having houses built within them. ## Hotel The Gosforth Park Hotel, now in the [Britannia Hotels](/source/Britannia_Hotels) chain, was originally built in 1965 and opened by the [Duke of Northumberland](/source/Hugh_Percy%2C_10th_Duke_of_Northumberland), and by 1986 was owned by [Scottish & Newcastle](/source/Scottish_%26_Newcastle) and run by [Thistle Hotels](/source/Thistle_Hotels).[1] Between being in the Thistle and Britannia portfolios it had been operated as a [Marriott](/source/Marriott_Hotels_%26_Resorts).[2] ## Virgin Money Unity Arena Virgin Money Unity Arena is the UK's first purpose built [socially distanced](/source/Socially_distanced) outdoor entertainment venue constructed in the grounds of Gosforth Park.[3] During 2020 the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_England) caused all concert and stand-up comedy events in the country to be cancelled.[4] As the country came out of lockdown a number of efforts were made to re-start entertainment events including some drive-in venues.[5] The temporary outdoor venue site is 45,000 square metres (480,000 sq ft) and consists of 500 viewing spaces.[6] Each socially distanced viewing space can occupy up to 5 people bringing the maximum capacity of the venue to 2500.[7] The first two concerts on 11 and 13 August by [North Tyneside](/source/North_Tyneside) singer [Sam Fender](/source/Sam_Fender) sold out in minutes.[6] The venue is operated by SSD Concerts and Engine No.4.[8] The event's title sponsor is the [Virgin Money](/source/Virgin_Money_UK) bank who have their headquarters in the nearby [Regent Centre](/source/Regent_Centre) business park.[9] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Gosforth Park Hotel"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120318204503/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-424000-570000/page/6). [BBC Domesday Reloaded](/source/BBC_Domesday_Reloaded). 1986. Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-424000-570000/page/6) on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Ford, Coreena (4 July 2018). ["Marriott Hotel in Gosforth sold to new owner as part of major five-hotel property deal"](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/marriott-hotel-gosforth-sold-new-14864237). *ChronicleLive*. Retrieved 31 October 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Kreps, Daniel (4 July 2020). ["U.K. Racetrack to Become First 'Dedicated Socially Distanced Venue'"](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/virgin-money-unity-arena-socially-distance-venue-uk-1024272/). *Rolling Stone*. Retrieved 12 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Coronavirus: Will I get a refund on my ticket if events are cancelled?"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-51738687). *BBC News*. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Brit winner headlines first socially-distanced gig"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-53749178). *BBC News*. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbcfender_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbcfender_6-1) ["Brit winner to headline socially-distanced gig"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-53725053). *BBC News*. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Meechan, Simon (12 August 2020). ["Live music returns with Sam Fender gig at Virgin Money Unity Arena"](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/live-music-returns-sam-fender-18754983). *The Evening Chronicle*. Retrieved 12 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Hanley, James (11 August 2020). ["Inside the UK's only major concert series of the summer"](https://www.musicweek.com/live/read/inside-the-uk-s-only-major-concert-series-of-the-summer/080729). *Music Week*. Retrieved 11 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Vizard, Sarah (7 July 2020). ["Inside Virgin Money's plan to build a consumer, not just a bank, brand"](https://www.marketingweek.com/virgin-money-consumer-brand/). *Marketing Week*. Retrieved 12 August 2020. ## External links - [Map sources](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Gosforth_Park¶ms=55.031108_N_1.611989_W_region:GB_scale:100000) for Gosforth Park - [Virgin Money Unity Arena](https://virginmoneyunityarena.com/) This Tyne and Wear location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:TyneandWear-geo-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3ATyneandWear-geo-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:TyneandWear-geo-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gosforth Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosforth_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosforth_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.