Wylam Brewery says its £2 restoration levy has so far rasied more than £7,000 in funds help safeguard the Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park — a landmark on Jesmond’s doorstep now approaching its 100th anniversary.

The levy has been added to all ticketed events since January 2025 as part of the brewery’s efforts to preserve the listed building, one of the most recognisable structures in the park.

Director of Wylam Brewery, Ollie Vaulkhard, told JesmondLocal: “Buildings like the Palace are assets of our city and link the past to the future. But sadly, they require significant sums to maintain and that continues to increase year on year.” 

He added: “The Palace of Arts is approaching 100-years old and is listed. Caring for a building of this age is quite an undertaking and we are trying to find ways to ensure we are good custodians of it and ensure we leave it in good condition for the next generation, hence our decision to impose the levy.” 

The Palace of Arts was built for the 1929 North East Coast Exhibition and is the only surviving structure from that event. After the exhibition closed, it was purchased by Newcastle City Council and opened in 1934 as the Museum of Science and Engineering, before becoming a Military Vehicles Museum in 1983. The building later lay empty before being restored and reopened in 2016 as the Wylam Brewery, an events space

The building carries personal significance for Vaulkhard, who first visited the Palace of Arts with his grandad at the age of 14. “It’s always been a part of my life,” he said, noting the levy will help ensure it remains a place the community can enjoy for decades to come.  

As of November 2025, the levy has generated £7,500, which will be spent on work restoring the fabric of the building, with the majority of costs covered by Vaulkhard’s company, The Vaulkhard Group. No money has been drawn from the fund yet, but Vaulkhard says he expects the company may dip into it next year.

Lee Howourth, a member of staff involved in day-to-day brewery operations, said the Palace is “one of the most multi-faceted buildings ever,” adding that “95% of the job is cleaning.”

According to Wylam, it has not received a single complaint regarding the levy. Regular customer Andrew Graham said: “I don’t mind paying £2 if it means the building can be looked after. It’s so difficult in current circumstances for businesses to cover these kinds of costs, especially for a building which is so grand.” 

Once Wylam begins drawing on the fund, the Vaulkhard Group has pledged to match each pound spent and publish a statement outlining how the money was used and what work was completed.