Cloth Market, The Wheat Sheaf Inn

6-8 Cloth Market. The 'Wheatsheaf' P.H., was built in 1840 and was owned by John Balmbra.

An advert appeared in the Newcastle Courant on 27th November 1840: “J. Balmbra begs most respectfully to inform his Friends and the Public, that he has entered the above newly-built commodious Premises, and laid in an extensive Stock of highly-flavoured Wines, Foreign and British Spirits, fine sparkling English and Scotch Ales, London and Dublin Stout. An excellent Skittle Ground is being fit up. Good Stabling, &c. J.B. [John Balmbra] hopes by unremitting Assiduity and strict Attention to merit a Share of that Patronage which it will be at all times his pride to acknowledge, and his Study to deserve. J.B. cannot let the present Opportunity pass without returning his most grateful Thanks to his Friends and the Public, for the liberal Support afforded him during the three Years he has conducted the Northumberland Arms, Arthur’s Hill”.

Circa 1848 one of the first floor rooms was converted for use as The Royal Music Saloon. Balmbra had previously held Harmonic Meetings in the Royal Hotel in Grainger Street. The Wheatsheaf was Newcastle's first music hall.

It was the setting in 1862 for the first performance of George Ridley's folksong 'The Blaydon Races'. The song was published in Allan's Tyneside Songs in 1891. Balmbra's is mentioned in the first verse:

“Ah went to Blaydon Races, ‘twas on the ninth of Joon,
In eighteen hundred an’ sixty-two, on a summer’s efternoon;
Ah tyuk the ‘bus frae Balmbra’s, an’ she wis heavy laden,
Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that’s on the road to Blaydon.”

In 1864 Balmbra sold the Wheat Sheaf Music Saloon to Thomas Handford. He then sold it to Joshua Bagnall and William Blakey 10 months later. They renamed the establishment as the Oxford Music Hall.

By 1881 the competition of the Variety Theatre was too strong and the building became the Wheat Sheaf Inn again, run by Thomas Dougal.

In 1891 the Oxford Restaurant and Public Hall was owned by Robert Lidgate.

In 1899 the hall was a billiard hall. That same year the building was destroyed by a fire. It was replaced in 1902 by the Carlton Hotel - renamed Balmbras in 1962 (HER 9097).