Awesome Franks Adds an 80s Cocktail Bar as Scream for Pizza Closes in Sandyford

Two pieces of food and drink news this autumn involve the same Newcastle founder, Alex Walker: one business is growing in West Jesmond, while another is closing just down the road in Sandyford.

Awesome Franks Expands at West Jesmond Metro

Awesome Franks, the sandwich shop and deli that opened at West Jesmond Metro station in 2025, is launching an 80s-themed cocktail bar in a neighbouring unit at the station. As reported by Insider Media, the bar will host live music, community events, student nights and themed evenings.

The expansion has been supported by a five-figure investment from the NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans fund, part of the second Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, managed by NEL Fund Managers, according to the British Business Bank. The business had earlier received a £25,000 Start Up Loan through Business Enterprise Fund North East.

Scream for Pizza Closes in Sandyford

Meanwhile, Scream for Pizza has announced that its Sandyford restaurant will close, as reported by the Chronicle and Brit Brief. Walker co-founded the business with Victoria Featherby in 2014, starting out from a converted French army ambulance, and the Sandyford site has been open for just over seven years.

In an announcement on Instagram in early October, the team said the restaurant would close in roughly six weeks, and invited regulars to suggest favourite pizzas from over the years to bring back before the final service. No exact closing date has been given.

The closure is not the end of the site. The team says it will be refurbished and fully rebranded, "name and all", as a new concept, with details still to come. Its slice and ice cream offshoot is not affected: I Scream for Pizza will continue serving slices and ices across Newcastle and Sunderland.

Where to Find Them

Awesome Franks trades from West Jesmond Metro station on Lyndhurst Avenue. Find its listing in the Jesmond directory, along with other independent cafes and bars in the area.