Newcastle University buildings evacuated as police cordons close city centre streets

Multiple Newcastle University buildings have been evacuated and several city centre streets cordoned off after emergency services responded to a report of a suspicious item on the campus.

Police and fire crews rushed to the university grounds shortly after 2:10 pm on Friday, 2 October. Officers have since established a large security perimeter, blocking access to a significant portion of the city centre campus.

Northumbria Police confirmed that officers are dealing with an ongoing incident centred on Kings Walk. A spokesperson for the force said: "At 2.10pm today we received a report of a suspicious item at a Newcastle University building on Kings Walk in Newcastle city centre. Officers are in attendance and a cordon is in place to ensure the safety of the public."

Which streets are closed?

The emergency response has closed off several busy roads around the university. Officers have taped off sections of Queen Victoria Road, Brewery Lane, King's Road, and St Thomas' Street, with St Thomas' Street blocked between Percy Street and Queen Victoria Road.

A specialist police dog unit arrived at Queen Victoria Road shortly after the initial response, and firefighters from the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service are also on-site to assist. Police officers remain stationed at the edges of the cordons, keeping the public back from the evacuated zone.

What is the impact on students and the hospital?

The sudden evacuations left hundreds of students and university staff stranded outside. Many had to abandon their work inside the buildings, while others were stopped from entering their departments for afternoon lectures.

"We've no idea what happened — just that we're not allowed in," one student said outside the police tape, adding that the disruption began suddenly in the middle of the afternoon.

The security operation is also affecting access to the neighbouring Royal Victoria Infirmary. While the hospital itself is operating normally, visitors have been instructed to find alternative routes to the site as several access points are blocked by the police cordons.

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that the Royal Victoria Infirmary is not being evacuated. However, the trust has had to redirect incoming patients and visitors to alternative parking facilities. Those who had already parked inside the New Victoria Wing car park and the hospital's multi-storey car park are still able to exit, but new arrivals are being sent elsewhere.

Nearby, the Northern Stage theatre, which is located close to the university buildings, is unaffected by the ongoing security operation and remains open.

Police have not yet provided further details on the nature of the suspicious item or estimated when the campus buildings might safely reopen.