Two visits to the beachside amphitheatre June 2013

My late May and early June review of recent films and of TV gets put back another week after enjoying another three days of sunshine, the River and the coast. On Thursday June 6^th 2013 I failed to dress warmly for my first visit to the sea coast amphitheatre thus restricting my length of stay. It was my first walk along the sea coast this year although I have been down to the sea front in the car for mini walks before the car parking charges were reintroduced for the season.

I was not the only person who regretted not having a thicker coat as the temperature dropped despite the sun remain out until late and there was a flood of those dressed for the promenade and beach making their way home back along Ocean Road on foot/

There were also six merchant vessels laying off the Tyne entrance well away from the dangerous rocks close to the shores. As I returned home one of the ships, looking the largest, was being escorted into the river mouth by one of the four tugs still available compared to the twenty or so who traded until the 1970’s. Now the four are owned by an international company which provides most of the tugs looking after shipping in most fo the Worlds great River ports. They are equipped with the latest communications, radar and weather technology and their HQ is a short distance from that of the River Police, both on the South Tyneside side of the river, and where the latter also acts as a training centre, while further along on the other side of the hill is the Life boat training centre and also the centre used by the South Tyneside College marine school.

The sand dunes and large swaths of sand looked in pristine condition as did the new pathways and walling. The Marsden Rattler, twin train carriages Italian restaurant is still too expensive for every day eating for my pocket but the adjacent Restaurant pub compares with the nearest Wetherspoons in terms of special offers such as 2 for 1 which excludes me and Curry night which is a possibility as I have decided that I should eat our more at least once a week when at home.

There were a few camping vehicles and caravans in the park adjacent to the official site now given over fully to large attractive looking holidays home, too many in too close proximity for my lacking but bring more weekenders to the town.

As is my custom I walked up and along the walkway which overlooks the beach and the amphitheatre and water feature. The surface of the walkway has been redone with attractive all weather bench seating enabling panoramic view towards the Priory and castle ruins on Tynemouth hill across the entrance of the Tyne, six parked merchant ships, the great sands and then down the coast to Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. Beneath me, keeping out of the cold and firm breeze, about a dozen keep fit men and women were being put through their paces and this year for the first time the local authority had invested in an all weather canopy above the playing stage located close to the amphitheatre but would also enable the show to continue if it rained with the audience sheltering under the walkway.

There were about two hundred people sitting in the amphitheatre or at the tables and chair around Minchella’s enlarged tea house and ice cream parlour with a steady queue at the take away service window. There were about half a dozen aging bikers who have made the location there own throughout the year.

The first act was a young female guitarist with a strong local accent Courtney Dixon aged 15-16 who reached the final of the North East and Scotland Open Mike competition where she also entered when she was 13 years of age. I did not feel the open air acoustics benefited her voice. There is a video from the competition on You Tube. I cannot remember if the next solo singer was Dean James or Paul Liddell who followed Courtney’s half hourish set. I had found a cold stone sat in a more sheltered spot but the music was not sufficiently compelling for me to stay.

On the way back I had a better look at the new paved area outside the new swimming and general Leisure centre which looks as if it will be completed soon and was scheduled to be ready before the end of Spring. The project is to be called Haven Point and will also include yet another Amphitheatre making three along the Coast and River. As previously mentioned although there is ane expensive recreation of the original bandstand in South Bents Park, it is not used until August with concerts during June and July on Sunday’s at the seacoast Amphitheatre.

On Saturday there is a three hour show covering local talent aged 15 to 19 years who will be competing to perform on the main stage at an all day event managed by the Customs House of August 4^th when I am in London watch Durham at Lords at the new as yet not completed amphitheatre. Young adults were invited to send their tracks to the organisers of the Bernicia Festival. Bernicia standing for the ancient Saxon Kingdom which covered Northumberland and Durham, Berwick and Lothian region of Scotland.

The organisers selected three of the most talented youngsters to perform on the Saturday evening. Although the weather looked good I wondered about the turn out because of the clash with the final of Britain’s Got Talent and which led to the Voice to switch its latest episode to last night. I decided to set the recorder and go and see for myself but this time taking the car to the bottom of the hill with a variety of clothing for outside wear.

On getting outside of the car the air felt warm and there were sunbathers in the North Bents Park although it was just on six o’ clock and those going in both directions along Ocean Road were lightly dressed so putting on a heavy coat seemed out of place so I continued with the same light jacket as on Thursday but as soon as I reached the roadside promenade I realised the wind was just as strong as before an decided against moving closer to the sands along the beach promenade.

I had a light evening meal of a small quiche and some cherries beforehand and wafting odour of the fish of fish and Chips from the roadside kiosks and the Ocean Restaurant was a powerful reminder that I had consumed little. Every outside table was occupied at the Sundial and there were six row of caravans and motor homes in the park adjacent to the official holiday home park and I had also noted that South bents park was full of families enjoying the children’s play parks, the train, the boating or just lazing on the grass. The fun fair was also doing good business including the giant swinging arm.

Although ti was well after six when I reached the amphitheatre it looked as the first act was just setting up the instruments with the amplifier and I judged he audience t be less than on Friday. I made my way along to the Sandancer, a pub restaurant I have visited many items usual around six in the evenings when the cross channel ferry could be view from one fo he beach side restaurants, This was then the restaurant was part fo a chain and where vouchers reducing the bill by £5 for two were frequently available.

This is now an individually owned facility aiming at the well dressed young with music evenings and with price a little above average with a two course Sunday mean £8.95. I had intended to continue to walk along the beach promenade to the Trow Rocks but tis would have meant cross sand without doubling back to the car park so I change tak and went back to the amphitheatre where the first act did not appeal and as suspected the temperature was lowering so I set on a quickly agreed plan B. This included calling in att eh first Kiosk for 1 £1.70 carton of fatty chips with batty which I then eat in the car which after travelling the short distance back to the temporary summer car park across the road from the amphitheatre. The second was more to my likely will summer sounding instrumentation so I stayed for half an hour before going back to view the Britain’s Got Talent final,

It was looking over towards Tynemouth Priory on Thursday evening that the idea of making the walk along the River bank to the north Tyneside Fish quay for lunch one fine day soon was planted. That fine day came sooner than anticipated when the urge to go out once more in the sunshine was strong on Friday morning and I decided to make the trip taking a near empty rucksack to purchase some needed items from Morrisons on the way back. I did take my mini pocket radio and enjoyed both classical and radio one 1 along the way. Radio One was enjoying some national publicity because the Queen was visiting the broadcast studio as part of opening the new BBC London HQ centre yesterday, on her own as Prince Philip had entered a private hospital for surgery on his abdomen after various tests and was scheduled to stay in the hospital for two weeks. The band, “The Script” were invited to the live studio to play a number and be introduced to the head of State and later the morning presenter gushed her excitement during an interview with the lead singer before the group played a couple of their favourite hits in a move designed to make Royalty more accessible and connected with the young.

I took the Ferry which arrived on the North bank in time for the just before half past buses. I had debated going to visit the Pitman Painters gallery at Ashington, but I had missed the connection just before the hour. I took the 10.27 number 19 bus for the short journey to North Shields metro station before the vehicle went on to the Northumberland park metro station where I assume it did a turn around. I had to wait only few minutes for the equally short train ride to Tynemouth where I decided not to take the stairway over the line and go out from the arrival platform just to see where it led. The walk paralleled that from the other platform exit, along to the famous private school one side with attractive terraced villas on the other the other side of the junction with the road to the castle and priory and the main road from North Shields where I could have arrived by bus

The coaster goes from Gateshead and Newcastle to Tynemouth and on to Whitley Bay via North Shields. There is also a service which commencing in Newcastle goes on to Blyth (306 308) and the 357 ends at Tynemouth from Newcastle and of course there is the one buss direct from the ferry, the 333 but which goes to the Coast Road to the North East of the town and involves a longer walk longer walk. I did debate this possibility back at the ferry bus terminal but the driver of the 19 came first while that of the 333 was having a smoke, but given the number of us waiting for the 19, the 333 set off just seconds beforehand.

Along the main street to the castle and priory there were not as many enjoying coffee at outside tables as I have witnessed on past visits. On reaching the ruins of the Castle I took the road down to the river side passing the route to the north pier on my left and the two free car parks on the right and noting three caseloads of tourists, all from the same company admiring the view back along the river and across to South Shields. I wondered where they were from and where they were going.

Reaching the esplanade the smell of sea weed on rocks greeted me. The smell took me back to the childhood recognition that a summer holiday away from home had commenced with this unmistakable badge of the seaside.

The views from this side of the river are gloriously spectacular and people pay thousands to experience abroad so I stopped at a couple of bench seats along the journey. The only dispiriting sight is the stern long block of flats above me, built to house seafarers each with a balcony view they were a commendable patronage in their day but now reminder everyone that this was an industrial and commercial river and not a tourist visitation.

As it was someway before noon when some of the restaurants offered their lunch time, daytime special I was able to view what all the establishments offered. Irvins Brasserie is the first the most pricey. I settled for Sambuca 2 one fo three owned by the same company at the other end after finding a yet another seat and admiring the view until noon. Cassia Sambuca and Sambucas are the other two adjacent but separate venues with the Cassia offering a three course £4.95 set meal with the two siblings £3.95. In between the two ends of the Quay area is the popular Martino restaurant with several pavement tables and which had the most diners drowsing in just before the hour sounded.

Oceans specialises in Fish and Chips with a separate Take away. They do offer a Pensioners special at £4.90 with the standard price a couple of pounds more. I did not check the take away prices although many were purchasing the boxed meal and eating from one of the riverside seats. There are several fish merchants, a continental foods store which also offered either a pheasant or a rabbit at under a fiver and one other eaterie as well as a couple of pubs, one by the fish dock and the other, the oldest in the town one with a maximum height of 5ft 8. There is also the Fish Quay Fair an indoor market with some 100 stalls open at weekends and possible midweek. I tend to look and not buy so just as well the venue was not open.

There were only two ladies in Sambuca 2 when I entered just afternoon and this enabled me to chose the only table with a full window view. I chose the potato skins starter although seeing the Minestrone soup offered another customer who arrived later this offered a more substantial portion. I also chose a penne carbonara- the egg cheese bacon dish with various pasta options and then coffee rather than ice cream have commenced with half a lager £1.50 so with £1 tip, the meal cost me £6.50. The decision to eat out rather than take a packed lunch came after a moment of rashness when before leaving I had purchased a £5 instant lottery ticked when getting my entry for the Euro lottery. I had then won £20 making net gain of £15.

Satisfied by the meal I walked leisurely back to the ferry landing arriving to watch it departing and therefore had half an hour to wait enjoying the view once more from one of the seats on the landing. I bought three £1 bags of cherries from the greengrocers under the Metro station and then at Morrisons, milk, a lettuce, some pate and margarine before reaching home. It had been a good morning which I wanted to make again.

Planning June 2013 in and around South Tyneside and Northumbria

June 3013 marks a new era of self discipline although I had intended to commence to writing the piece earlier on Saturday the first day of the month, the dawn brought rain and sea fret and depressed after the beautiful sunshine of Friday.

On Friday morning I was filled with a great urge to get out in the bright sky fresh air although I had no plan. Having renewed the Metro pass for another year and with the pass now combined with the National bus pass and still giving for free travel on the ferry this was the first decision and in doing so provided an opportunity to view the work on the grass land adjacent the ferry landing. Such was the surprise and seeing a tall wall built along the area between the landing and almost at the Customs’ House entertainment complex that it was only on return and visiting the South Tyneside site that I learned what is planned for what is now called Harton Quays. There is to be a sheltered parkland between the BT building and the boardwalk and adjacent to the new pathway but it will be open space towards the Customs House and at the other end adjacent to the ferry landing there is to be a new Amphitheatre, and which will feature Glastonbury June 28^th June 30 from 12 noon each day, although I suspect they will be pushed to get the work completed in time.

On return home I collected the April August edition of What’s on and then printed out the full list of activities in South Tyneside which are free to locals and visitors alike. I will cover the June options before the this writing ends.

On Friday morning the ferry approached the North Tyneside landing as the cross channel lorry ferry was arriving and for a couple of minutes appeared to be heading directly for the landing until it swung into the mid channel to continue to the docking area on the north bank of the river. Watching the lorry ferry arrive I nearly missed the connecting buses at the now completed bus half circle and terminus. Still waiting was the 333 service which makes the comparatively short journey along to the north bank to the Fish Quay and then up into North Shields and through the town ending at the Tynemouth Hotel which is on the North Sea Coast Road, a short walk along the cliff road passed the activity park to the Gibraltar Pub adjacent to which the traditional jazz/swing band stage is set for the annual Mouth of the Tyne festival across the road from the ruins of the Tynemouth Priory and castle.

This year the North Tyneside Mouth of the Tyne Festival is on 13^th and 14^th July and ahs a more commercial look than previous years although the move towards booking pay up commenced last year, coinciding with the move of the Whitley bay Jazz festival until later in the year and the abandonment of Whitley Bay as the venue for the event. A comic is booked for the Playhouse o the Thursday with the Human League at the Priory on the Friday. James Morrison and the Lake Poets( band) are the Saturday night offering and on Sunday afternoon there is a more family orientated concerts at £12 adults and £6 children. Gone therefore is the free concert on Saturday afternoons with the only paying evening on the Sunday evening. There are to be street performances in the high street leading to the priory but as yet information is available including if the traditional jazz stage will continue. The Jazz weekend takes place 1st to 3^rd of November at a cost of £135 is exceptionally reasonable given the range fo talents and scope fo the music involved. There is usually a pre weekend concert at the Sage but this year a tribute to Artie Shaw, Billie Holiday and Bunny Berrigan is being held at the Customs House here in Shields and I will go an book my ticket during the coming week,

On Friday I decided to wait for 19 bus which take a shorter route to North Tyneside metro having decided to journey to Newcastle, a route I cannot remember previously taking. Work on the replacement North Tyneside Metro station has been completed after three years of work which disrupted services.

The number 19 bus continues on a long journey of ninety minutes to Ashington, the home of the Charlton brothers and also the gallery of the Pitmen painters by way of the Silver Link Trading Park ( a free way petrol and car saving way to get the Odeon Cinema) Seaton Delaval, Cramlington new town shopping centre and Bedlington. I later printed out the time table to work out a visit to the Gallery getting to the Ferry landing for the ferry after 9.30 hoping to make the 9.57 bus which arrives at the Ashington Bus Station 11.27, and the Gallery a 15 minute walk, return on the 15.30 or 16.30 buses. Knowing this I will attempt to fit on a suitable day in the coming weeks, possibly months.

North Tyneside station is ready for automated ticket barriers. The route into Newcastle is not attractive which backs and trees masking the housing mostly square semi detached boxes. At Monument I failed to take note of the way I exited. The sunshine and weekend seemed to have brought out more busking musicians in Northumberland Street than usual mainly local university students I suspected with two classical groups, a quartet and a pair one who looked the younger school age brother. There was a rock guitarist but the most noteworthy was a group of modern jazz players who position themselves at the entrance to the Eldon Square Shopping entrance, The group consisted of a drummer, trumpet, saxophone (female) trombone and one other instrument. I found a seat and listed to several numbers I return via Eldon Square noting the ongoing attempts to modernise and also that a few stores were closed with attractive hoardings and the same notice that a new exciting store would be opening shortly. Back at the Monument which has echoes of Piccadilly Circus there was a young female singer. The Monument Mall Shopping centre with the food court on the top floor is now fully closed looking a long way from completion but promising to become a new major shopping attraction.

I decided to return home the way I had come except that I could not work out where the line platform from St James to North Shields and Tynemouth looping in circular fashion to Whitley Bay and then inland back to Monument Platform 1 and onward to South Shields was located. I considered talking the quicker route half an hour to South Shields from Platform 1 until finding I would have wait 11 minutes. There had to be a way to North Shields. This was eventually discovered via stairs/lift at one end of platform 2. There was a good wait for the went bus back to the Ferry but which left soon after I arrived, this time the boat was packed with those wanting to come to South Shields beach for the day or to the down to earth South Shields Friday market rather than he more arty and up market version on Tynemouth Stations at weekends.

The problem for those coming into Shields who have not visited since the demolition of the buildings backing on to the riverside is that the direct walking across the road is closed and the nearest way into the town centre involves several stairs which is a problem for parents with wheelchairs and the elderly with sticks. I purchased a pound of small but dark cherries from the greengrocers under the metro station ( £2.70 £2.50 a pound with those on sale in Newcastle £3.60/£4) and a fresh vegetables pack from Morrisons for £1.19, after calling in at the Museum and Art Gallery for a copy of What’s on. It was well after 1 when I was home to fid a package from Northumberland Water contained a box marked Water Saving Kit and sub headed Bad habits cost the Earth. This comprises a Toilet Flush save estimated to reduce consumption by 12 litres a day, a timer for the shower, a basin tap water saver and a universal plug.

I exercised well in the afternoon completing my time as Artman 102 for the coming months and noting the end of month position. I have continued to remain professional standard in ten pin bowling retaining a rating of over 1100 to 1140 having reached 1154 at one points with the principal new achievements getting to profession at three hole golf just with 1002 points. I continued to enjoy tennis with some great work outs and strong close single games but getting beyond 700 has proves a major challenge and closed at a high of 753. I have become more proficient at baseball winning most games but yet to break a rating of 750 and 700 with boxing bouts where I had to wins on points and also two drawn matches at baseball..

I have been very successful with the Sports disc training programme which requires three events in succession and which gives an fitness age rating with the minimum possible set at 20. That I have attained a low of 27 and achieved under 30 for month days is a reflection of my general increased skill and alertness on the tree events that were provided, returning tennis balls wand which includes three sets fo five balls at the net and also ten pun bowling with completing spares and then ten successive hits at baseball. To achieve the under 30 rating is necessary to only miss between 1 and 5 tennis ball returns, to make 15 ten pin bowling completions and make 5 to 6 baseballs hits.

Interestingly when I changed characters from Colin 101 to Colin on Saturday the fitness games have changed which included a multiple bowling challenge where it is essential to hit a red skittle for the number of other skittles to increase every time to over 100. For tennis there returning balls to a moving screen at the back of the court.

These two latter games are including in the individual game training features where three events are listed for each of the five sports and where by the end of he month I had achieve Bronze medal status (1) in returning up to 30 tennis balls (19) and (2) hitting the screen (8), in (3) achieving 7 out of ten hits at baseball (1123 metres) in Golf (4) hitting 10 greens with a lowest score of 11 and where 30 meters is added if you miss the green into the rough plus (5) hitting a target across water (295). In Boxing (6) I moved the punch bag to make 14 hits and then 15 with 14 achieving the bronze medal level. In ten pin bowling (7) I went to straight to Silver clearing 12 lanes and also cleared 476 skittles to make bronze thus achieving bronze and one silver in eight fo the 15 events. My aim is to achieve medals in ten events as some I am hopeless and am not at present prepared to spend the time in learning and practice I suspect required. The delight in ten pin bowling is that my clearing 17 lanes I achieved my first gold as Colin this month as well as a second bronze o golf hitting the green with an under 100 score, Returning balls in tennis a bronze with a score of only 13. I am breaking off the writing to commence my Monday morning session.

This proved to my best ever with almost a perfect Sports Training test getting my age down to 22, unlikely to be repeated and then getting my age at only 29 with the Fitness programme, two amazing top scores and then with the Sports Training individual games I achieved the goal of 10 bronze or better medals out of the 15 games plus the Gold, 11 in total and only the 3^rd day of the month. I will have to concentrate on the competitive games to try and reach professional level in three of the five sports. After an egg salad lunch I went for a walk purchases some cherries and raspberries, the milk needed and some salted peanuts as a reward. I intended continuing to the Customs House to book for the Jazz show at the end of October but as I was in the High Street I realised I had not brought the credit cards.

There was an interesting story on the Huffington post AOL involving the Prime Minister the details of which I will not mention in case the injunction mentioned would be breached by repetition although no name of the individuals have been included just that the outcome was a top level meeting at number 10. A different kind of story is that over 30 Conservative Members of Parliament are alleged to have sent a letter to the Chairman of the 1922 Backbench Committee saying they had no confidence in Cameron as their party leader and when the required number to trigger a no confidence vote is said to be only 46,

The big fuss over the weekend has involved a series stings of politicians, one in the Commons and three in the Lords. The first a Tory who has resigned his Party whip, and then a northern Ireland Lord plus two Labour men from the North, Lord Cunningham from Cumbria and the other a former police chief from County Durham. The issue is did they break the rule in relation to appearing to accept offer of payments from the posing media man. Existing Lobbying firms were not directly involved but this has raised the issue again. All four deny they have broken the rules. The political hot potato is also in the Lords where today and tomorrow, with the vote in the afternoon on the second reading of the Same sex Marriage legislation. A lose vote in favour of the legislation is anticipated.

And so what of the rest of the month. There are up to seven days more of cricket, with Warwickshire the visitors 12-15^th which could prove another crucial match in the championship bid if a draw/win takes place at Taunton against struggling Somerset. I write this as Sussex are holding out against Nottingham at Hove which will be the best possible result for Durham. Sussex will still go back to had the table with their bonus and draw points but it will leave four teams at the top including Durham having each played six games and three wins. Notts who will still have a game in hand will trail Durham with the draw by only seven points because of having gained maximum bonus points this keeping alive their ambitions. The match does ends in a draw. Warwickshire with one win from 6 and Somerset 0 from 7 , Surrey and Derbyshire none from 6 all look out of the running with now that Surrey have the Australian Ponting and Derbyshire Chanderpaul I anticipate they will make a rally, leaving Warwickshire and Somerset look good for relegation at present. Yorks play Notts and Middlesex Sussex on Wednesday with Surrey hosting Warwickshire,

Durham won against Lancs on Sunday in the 40 over competition which makes the games against Scotland on Father’s day and against Hampshire in the 2^nd crucial must win home games.

Openers Mustard and Stoneman had a brilliant start scoring at over 8 runs an over for the first when only two fielders are allowed outside the circle, Stoneman went for 85 and Mustard 65 and with Muchall 48 and Stokes 40 the team made 297 for 9. Some members and visitors appeared to have come only in shirts although many had taken the precaution of bringing a woolly and in my instance also a coat which was needed as sun went in and it became cold. I sat in the far corner beneath the new extension given the pitch was located close to the Member’s Pavilion.

The clouding over immediately help Graham Onions who dismissed four of the five opening batsmen in a single spell of 8 overs for 45 runs and at one point the game looked over with Lancs 80 for 5 and needing twice the run rate achieved at that point. It was unpleasant even with my coat so I came home to listen on the BBC Internet relay only to learn that the last two Lancs batsmen had staged an amazing rally with Ally hitting 5 sixes and four in his 59 with Parry not out 10 putting on 51 quick runs after Ali had also had a stand with Clark (72) so that the last two wickets added just under 100 runs, perhaps because the weather brightened as it was clear blue sky again on the Hill when I got back.

The result left Durham in second position in the table to Hampshire who have 1.25 more points and a game in hand, a lead they will still have even if Durham win their home game against Hampshire on the 22^nd June the last match before the break. Essex are at home to Surrey this afternoon in a floodlit game where a win will move the successfully team above Durham. I am going for Surrey as they will have played six games as Durham and with coming to Durham later in the year there is possibility of cancelling out the lead. Essex on the other hand would not only take a 1.25 point lead but still have a game in hand. Essex have made a massive 313 so Surrey have almost an impossible task, alas. However Surrey do now have Ponting.

The seventh day of cricket is on 28^th with the first 20 20 game of season against Lancs and I am tempted to go Scarborough for the 20 20 game on the Sunday the 30th. I have sent an email to the organiser of travel club for a place on the coach if available at £20 plus purchase of the ticket at gate.

As mentioned earlier I have obtained a copy of the Summer festival brochure from the Museum and Art gallery reception and which also contains the summer programme at the Customs House. It was from this brochure that I learned the plan to relay Glastonbury at the new Amphitheatre on the 28 to 30^th. I will miss the 30^th if I got to Scarborough.

I missed the first of the Saturday evening concerts at the sea front amphitheatre and the weather changed as the evening progressed. The concerts are held every Thursday and Saturday evenings in June. I also missed the first brass band concert on Sunday afternoon going to the cricket. These concerts are also held at the amphitheatre on Sundays 9. 16, 23^rd and also the 30^th. One year a Trad band played at the expensive to build bandstand in the park, although no similar event appears listed until August. The brass band continues on Sunday in July when the free concerts with professional groups are held.

If the weather is as good tomorrow as to-day I shall take the metro to Newcastle and go on one of River escapes trips ideally down river to the mouth of the Tyne, and then later up river, a journey I have not taken before. Depending on how I feel I may pop into the Baltic on the way back. I have also checked out what’s on at the Sage this summer and there is nothing that appeals although there is some jazz meal evenings, where a companion is appropriate. There are some lunch time free music session to be considered. I will leave July until later in the month. 

South Marine Park Spring 2009

Going to bed at midnight tired I hoped for a good sleep but when I woke first at two and then at four I was still optimistic but rising again only an hour later, I knew further sleep was unlikely although I did try. The obvious factor is that been out in the fresh air walking on Saturday. When there were large patches of blue in the day light and temperature was around 10 degrees. I nearly went out before the midday roast but reconsidered that it would be more beneficial later, if the weather held, which it looked liked doing, after the meal. I commenced roasting of the chicken, at 11 am, wrapped in foil adding prepared potatoes from frozen at 11.30 and lifting the foil covering at midday leaving until twenty to 1 before removing with the skin of the chicken nicely brown. All I used was about sixty percent of the breast with the pieces of crisp potato and later wearing light gloves I broke up the rest of the chicken into a bowl with sufficient for a stir fry and an omelette. I decided on a banana putting out a piece of lemon tort to defrost to enjoy with a cup of tea after the outing.

As hoped there were still patches of blue among the cloud and being high up in open space there was a fresh see breeze. In the mouth of the river a comparatively small naval ship was being coaxed through the protective piers. A little way down from the open space, along the roadside bank several hundred blue and purple crocus were in flower and then at the end of the North Marine Park the raised bedding close to the gate was covered with pansy flowers, as was one of the beds at the side of Ocean Road. It was not yet Spring but the first indications were there. My walk had two objectives with the first to view the progress made in the five million pound renovations of South Marine Park. Most of the work has been completed with very good effect although whether the local ratepayers who contributed £1.2 million with the rest coming from a European development fund, of some nature. remains to be judged via the local evening paper. I first walked up the steep hill from the corner main entrance which everyone uses who walks along Oceans Road from the town centre, the Metro, the buses and the passenger river ferry crossing. This is a wide thoroughfare with grass surrounded beds on either side, and a large area of trees to my right before the railings and a hedge to my left. The pathway is wide enough for official vehicles and has been resurfaced and strengthened and new seats have been provided. These have a wrought metal frame with wood seats and backs and the metal work is a very attractive livery of black and red with some gold, as are the predominantly red large metal rubbish bins. From the top of this hill, which is the highest point of the area, even higher than the hill where I live, there is a splendid panorama across the whole park and open and indoor amusements centres on the other side of the beach road. The vast stretch of sand after the dunes and north sea disappearing some distance into the horizon.

It is at this point that I could see the new stone stonework either side of the main broad stairways to the second level downward. This brings one to the main parallel north south thoroughfare within the park and where the rise from the entrance to where I was standing is more gently. This had been resurfaced with lots of the new seating on either side and I sat on one for a few minutes to enjoy the spectacle. Others were doing likewise with several older couples also out on an explore. The thoroughfare is even wider here and close to the main steps is the new bandstand built to the same specifications as the old which was left into ruin and had to be demolished. This, as everything else in the park is a very fine and attractive construction and is easy to understand that at the turn of century over 10000 people were recorded as attending concerts. A council workman was doing finishing work to the new stone walling which separates the bandstand and thoroughfare from the next level downward. I walked along to where the four statues of naked ladies had been returned. Originally they were intended to stand outside the Town Hall, and my understanding is that they did so for a time but such was the objection that they were moved to the Park. and similar, but more modest attired statues were made for the Town Hall where they remain to this day. In between the statues someone was painting the railings to the water fountain and features which is yet to become operational. I then took the middle of the park pathway down to the lake. To the right there is the gentle open picnic and kick about area, ever popular for the most of the seasons with families who have made outings for the day. To my left there are several pathways between areas of shrubs and trees and in both areas there is a new artwork with I will examine closely on another visit. On the map of the park at each entrance there is a shown an outside class room among the pathways. My route was to take me across the small railway track which circumnavigates the lake and go around three quarters of the Lake towards the partially completed new tea room and toilet area and which also houses the train and engines when not in use.

Half the lake was drained for several months at a time to clear and clean and improve the surrounds. This was the only way to ensure that the swans and other wildlife were able to continue for the year which the work undertook. It was difficult as usual to undertake the swan count but I would say the total is closer to fifty and then seventy five previously checked. When the park was first built the water in the lake would be lowered each winter to ensure that it would freeze solid to enable skating but the development of the wildlife has led to the ending of this attraction. The peal boats are still housed across the road in part of the fairground until the Easter week end opening.

To the South of the Park, the areas of safe play with two age levels became fully operational during the summer and has continued to be well used throughout the winter except on the coldest and wettest of days with over a thousand children participating every week.
The new tea room will have a much larger outside seating area in the future which will mean better opportunity to enjoy a seat for a cup of tea, coffee and a bacon roll from the now demolished kiosk and where I was only able to enjoy by getting up and down before 11 am on summer days. On making my way towards my second mission for the outing I noticed that the decision has been taken to construct fine mesh inner fencing a few feet inside the railings along the main coast road and the reason for this was evident a few metres on as between the railways and the new mesh fencing was a used carton for fish and chips and then further along a can

It is difficult to compare the renovated North Marine Park with the Park at Roker a few hundred yards from my former home at Seaburn because the latter had two significant outstanding features. The first is a ravine with a pathway under the coast road to the beach under the cliffs and the second is a waterfall using an area of the ravine. As with South Marine there is a special area for children, a bandstand, and a railway. As at Shields there is water although at Roker it is smaller and restricted to the use of model boats, something which was the original function of the lake at Shields. There is also the difference in how the rest of the park area is used. The Bowling Greens and Tennis courts at located in North Marine Park but are a significant feature at Roker where a large area of grass is special and protected and with little area for children to kick a ball about, something which is available at Shields. There are spectacular floral displays at Roker, something which has not been a feature of South Marine. South Marine has the spectacular view across he park and out to the North Sea horizon Both parks are now exceptional community facilities and a credit to what public money can buy. The essential differences is that whereas Roker Park is stand alone, there is there are three parklands at Shields separated only by two main roads and where I have the advantage of being able to walk from my present home through all three and back to the sea front and on to the cliff walks, all the way to Roker Park and vice versa if so wished and able to do so. When South Marine Park was created just before the beginning of the 19th century there would be an annual firework display with the park decorated with coloured lights including decorated small boats on the lake and half the town was reputed to turn out. A similar lighting extravaganza was created when Roker Park was refurbished back to the original standards. It will be interesting to see if something similar is undertaken at South Marine.

It was time to undertake take the second mission. A little way across the road from South Marine Park is the Dunes entertainment development which comprises and indoor bowling alley, a large indoor amusement area with several pool tables and arcade gambling and other electronic machines, together with a separate but under the same roof pub restaurant. Now two three story attractively designed extensions with an a new entrance directly from the car park between the centre and the entrance to the South Shields river mouth pier. To one side of the plush new entrance a second doorway leads to what appears to be a restaurant or cafe. There appeared to be staff but I could not see any members of the public or why it was such a tall building with two tall floors about the same height as the three floors my home. The answer, possibly, is that although there is an entrance just inside the main door opposite to the establishment, inside there is just a small foyer leading to a staircase to an Italian food self styled bistro, The notice indicates a new Bistro and cafe and therefore it is possible that the stairway leads over the entrance with the restaurant above the cafe. There was nothing to indicate what was upstairs which is odd. The second part of the new extension in a new indoor play any for children. Again there is special entrance adjacent to what I assume is restaurant entrance with no indication of the costs other than a small poster which revealed that between the hours of 9am am and 2.30 weekends in term time the facilities were available for young children aged between one and three years for the price of £3 with accompanying adults free. The answer was found on return on the Internet, under Dunes, South Shields, with the most extensive information including downloading menus and prices, openings times and interactive maps. South Shields has suffered from a lack of indoor activities for children when the weather is poor and families have travelled to the sea front for the day. There is the Temple Park leisure Centre but this is some distance from the coast and externally in a functional building.

The star new attraction is the new indoor facilities which comprises a galleon type structure with five levels to climb and explore, a desert island structure which includes wavy slides and soft play area for children between one and five years. The facility is open from 9am to *pm with two pricing structures with 9-5 week days of peak. Children over four years is £5.50 max with adults £1 except the special offer previously mentioned. There are four types of Party prices from £9 to £12 offering a two hour session of play and party food plus take away bag. There is an extensive menu for adults and children within the facility with All Day Breakfast from £4.75 to a Steak for £10.95 and a selection of different platters for two at £12.95 There is also snack food with a plate of chips £2.20 and a burger and chips £4.60. The New Italian Bistro is open from 9am to midnight and is called the Hub. There are two Happy Hour sessions 12 to 6 and 6 to 7 and a three course lunch for £7.95. There are 14 starters, seven salads. 22 pizza and pasta dishes as well as eight others plus the all day breakfast . A bacon sandwich and a coffee will cost £4.40 compared to the £1.50 I pay at the Ship and Royal. The Lagoon is the facility which does not open until March and there is no information if as the name suggests this is an indoor pool area.

Captain Dunes Galleon and adventure Island comprises a Galleon with five levels of activity exploring and climbing. There is an indoor mini pitch for team games. There is a second several level area called desert island which includes and wavy slide and at a ground level a party room area for separate hire. There is also a separate Toddler play area which I presume is covered by the £3 per head daytime charge. The Brig is the existing Pub Restaurant which offer a combined Bowl, Eat and Drink Packages offering 2 games of Bowling and free shoe hire and a Traditional Sunday Main Course Lunch for £12.50. This plus two drinks is £16.50 with a choice from Chef Special Board or you can Booze and Bowl for £12.50.There are two function rooms for Hire complete with Wii Fi, Projectors licensed bars and food.

Awake early meant that I was able to watch the Andrew Marr show which included Anthony Sher and a well known South African actor who are appearing in an African styled interpretation of the Tempest with a colonial occupation and freedom seeking theme, and a reminder of an earlier episode of the History of Christianity series which explained how Christianity looked the other way as millions of African were killed or survived the journey into slavery and a life long physical and sexual abuse as well as loss of their cultural identity. A second suitable subject for Sunday was the widespread abuse of their position as Parliamentarians by using he system to claim the maximum expenses allowances, and the performance of Home Secretary was pathetic as she appeared to lose the moral argument when she that the officials advised her and that anyway what she was doing was cheaper than the Grace and Favour home previous Home Secretaries were entitled to and which and been sold to help the public purse. Surely we have the right to expect that Ministers will have sufficient self confidence and personal and political integrity to challenge officials when necessary. Andrew Marr hit the appropriate nail on the head by mentioning that when he became a journalist everyone exploited expenses to the maximum and you created problems for yourself if you did not go along with the culture. What the Home Secretary and her colleagues on both sides of the House are failing to recognise is the universal public contempt for all politicians especially Labour Party Ministers who were supposed to furthering the interests of ordinary workers but have been revealed not just as putting their noses in the trough as those in the so called wealth creating activities but were directly responsible for the culture of personal wealth accumulation which has now led millions to lose their work and some their homes. The problem she and Prime Minister Brown face is that the public has seen through the argument that what happened in the UK is part a world wide development as if this was some kind of excuse instead of admission that politicians in all the countries concerned were guilty of spiritual bankruptcy as well as financial incompetence.

I have some sympathy with the fundamental Christians of the central states of the USA who attempt to retain the basic moral values of their faith until they attempt the belief that the Old Testament should be taken literally and that the universe was created over a week and have made an multi million dollar theme park which alleges that human beings were created at the same time as dinosaurs. Science versus Christianity and Christianity versus science, was the theme of this weekend’s episode of the History of Christianity.

Professor Colin Blakemore who became Professor of physiology at Oxford University at the age of 35 years and the youngest person to be invited to deliver the Reith lectures presented a balance history of how the Catholic church embraced the development of science, then persecuted and put its development and is now, to varying degrees, adjusting its view of the Old and New Testaments to take account of scientific discoveries. He showed that at first the church supported the scientific approach as it presumed it would endorse the official view of creation.

For 1500 years after the birth of Christ the belief system was that the earth was centre of the universe but Copernicus worked out that the earth moved around the sun. It was another hundred years before his work was taken up by Galileo Galilei 1564 to 1642 and his work created the present day scientific system of enquiry, observation and testing theory through practice. Unfortunately his work coincided with the threat to the power of Catholicism from the torture by the Inquisition unless he recanted heretical statements. Galileo had drawn upon the argument of St Augustine that the Bible should not be regarded as the dictated word of God but a contemporary way of explaining the nature of the Jewish and then Catholic system of beliefs. His persecution put back scientific progress until the Age of Enlightenment. This age of Reason was to have a special significance in my life as when I first went into adult education at Ruskin College Oxford I was thrust into the study of, Mozart, Hobbs, Locke, John Wilkes, Mary Wollstonecraft, Adam Smith, James Boswell, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin Diderot, Rousseau , Montesquieu, Alex De Tocqueville , Alex de Toocville, and the French Encyclopedistes, the German Adam Weishaupt to who founded the Illuminate, Spinoza, Of some 50 major figures only one Ceasre Beccaria was Italian and known for his work on Crime and Punishment which condemned torture and the death penalty, and making suicide punishable.

Professor Blakemore went to Italy and to the Papal Observatory at the Castell Gandolpho. The Papa; Summer residence overlooking a lake and where the small village is full of religious shops, pubs, hotels and churches, where on my visit, there was a wedding, the second within a couple of days witnessed, the first being at the original Monastery church of the Benedictine Order at Subacio where he spent a number of years living as a hermit in cave like cell. At the Observatory the scientist priest in charge explained that Catholics and most Christians now understood that the testaments were books of their time to communicate a faith rather than historical documents and were not the direct word of God or of Jesus of Nazareth for that matter. The Catholic mind and that of most Christian now understand the evolution of human beings from apes, as well as the known evidence of the development of earth and the universe. This does not detract from the central beliefs, moral and life systems which contemporary Christians attempt to live by. There is a gigantic gulf between them and an the Anglican Vicar at Oxford who even challenged many of the central beliefs about the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the fundamentalists in the USA who stick to creationism as a six day wonder and who argue that any scientific evidence which conforms to their values and beliefs is good and acceptable science and that anything which does not is bad science and reprehensible.

Now here is my dilemma. Most of the fundamentalist are neither mad or bad and the way that the majority live is commendable and merits approbation, but on their understanding of the origins of universe and on the writings known as the Bible they are wrong and dangerously wrong. On the other hand the way many of those who only accept the scientific view of creation live is a matter of concern as in addition to explaining what has been they are instrumental in the potential destruction of planet earth, and not its salvation.

The evil of irrationality was the subject of Lark Rise to Candleford where hatred had been built up between two villages because in a previous generation one village had accused a woman who was known to be good and truthful of stealing a hive of their bees. In fact one the older characters in the series remembered her grandmother doing so but had been too frightened and embarrassed to revealing he truth, Suspending irrationality was a prerequisite for the next episode of Lost where at least three of survivors get back to the Island although the other three had set off to do so.

Tyneside walkabouts May 2010

The serious effort to lose weigh and get fit 2010 has commenced in earnest. I have acquired step counter with added gizmos but it still has the problem of falling off and messing up the accumulated step count.

My first venture took me through North Marine Park where there are still clumps of blue bells. I then walked about half way along the ramparts of the South Pier until just before the gates which are closed when the seas and winds make walking further unsafe. From this vantage point one can look across the South Shields Bay along the coast towards Marsden with its Grotto and alone to the headland before bay of Seaburn and Roker at Sunderland.

Looking back I could see the houses above the banking on the Lawe Top before crossing along the pathway between the beach and the amusement and the accommodations for the amusement Park employees and then through the almost deserted amusement park offering £12 pounds of ride tokens for £10 and where three tokens appeared required for the simplest and smallest of rides. The fish and chip restaurants were doing some trade as was the kiosk before crossing the road to the pier with people enjoying their meals on the seats overlooking the Little Haven Bay.

I walked back through South Marine Park noting that the number of swans seems to have dropped by one third before crossing back into North Marine and climbing the hill that way making this part of the journey easier because of the environment.

On Wednesday I was uncertain where to go walking. There was little sun but it was much warmer, warmer than so far this year because there was no cooling breeze and the atmosphere was close. I had enquired at two newsagents for note books and the checked the position at Smith before going to Wilkinson’s which had Reporter size books for 20 pence, yes 20 pence about a fifth of the price of those elsewhere. On my way I saw some garden furniture and then a breakfast table set with a narrow bar time table and two chairs which was ideal for the patio at the amazing price of £26. I could have arranged for home delivery for £5 but decided on collection as there is a loading Bay just outside the store. I then made my way to the supermarket to see if there was any cheap fish without success but 100 plastic pockets were on offer at £1 so I bought eight. This meant a heavy load on my back on the way home and my shirt was wringing wet and had to be changed. On Wednesday I enjoyed a piece of smoked haddock like fish for lunch, may have been smoked haddock, for the amazing price of 70p and in the evening a thick and juicy piece of steak with salad.

On Thursday I decided on crossing the river Tyne by ferry and then taking the bus into North Shields. There was a very pleasant singer guitarist playing in the High Street so I found a seat and listened for a couple of song. On leaving home I noticed that there was a plague of small flies and this was evident on both sides of the Tyne. I had noted the absence of flies until the day, caused first by the cold and then by the close warmth with 17th degrees well after 9pm. On my last trip across the river I commented on the saga of the call centre which was to have provided 200 jobs in an extraordinary modern building, which caused outrage when part of the roof appeared over the steep banking overlooking the river from the Top. The local paper announced that the firm had gone i to administration with the loss of job and an appeal from local residents to have the offending building demolished. Had I won the £86 million in the lottery last week I would have tried to purchase and lower the roof by one floor and turned into a home for my project. Another possibility to dream about, alas only dreams.

North Shields is a very similar community to South Shields in terms of its High Street and general atmosphere. At Wilkinson’s I purchased five display albums for my work and was tempted to stop for a cup of tea. There were also lots of plants for which I wished I had the space .I enjoyed three lamb chops with veg for lunch and a soup followed by a prawns from shell salad in the evening.

I had delayed going out on Thursday until Durham had won their game against Kent at Canterbury, a ground I have visited in the past and would have visited again had the match not followed on immediately after Leeds and Nottingham. Before the game came the news that captain Will Smith had been replaced by Phil Mustard, the wicket keeper, who once looked like becoming an England players with his aggressive battings style. I was not surprised at this development after reading his words in the annual report that he had found it difficult to build a long innings because of the responsibilities as team captain. Given that matches were lost and his own form had slumped it was difficult to see how he would continue as captain and retain his place in the side.

Later I discovered that Durham has had a cash injection from two Indian media moguls and that the county is working with other Test sides on a new 20 20 competition which is to feature the eight test grounds of Yorkshire, Middlesex, Surrey, Cardiff, Warwickshire and Manchester and Nottingham, but drawing on players from the whole of English Cricket and from India with the money to come from Indian TV rights I wonder how much pressure was exerted to change the captain because of the slump in form.

This had its impact on the first day of the match at Canterbury with some bad bowling and fielding to the extent that commentators could not understand the drop in form compared to the past two years. Kent Captain Key who had not a good season before scored 264 runs but his average at the end of the game was still in the 30’s Contrast this with 18 year old Ben Stokes who is the youngest first class player to score two centuries in successive matches ion their first season. He was unbeaten on 161 runs which enabled Durham to come within 6 runs of the Kent first innings total of 424. Benkenstein also scored his first century of the championship season. Kent then collapsed in their second innings, all out for 162 leaving Durham to score 169 for their second win of the season and their first away from home. It was not a clever start with wickets falling at 7, 19 and 37. Benkenstein and Blackwell then gradually took the total to 144 before Benkenstein who has found his form was out for 49. Shortly after Stokes came to the crease, Blackwell was injured and had to have a runner. I imagine he will not be playing in the home game against Kent or the 40 over game on Sunday. Stokes then hit six boundaries in succession to win the match and this included a six. He was the talk of the commentators who like his style and believe he has a great future. He has jumped in the championship averages into fourth position with over 70 runs per innings in his five matches to date, helped by being not out on the last two scores.

Photos of places to eat, drink and dance close to home

It has been a glorious day, warm and sunny, and I gave returned after a further photographing the places to eat, drink and make merry within 15 to 20 minute walk of my home on the hill surrounded by the River Tyne and the seas coast bordered by parks and open spaces. I am pleasantly relaxed tired after eating fish and chips from newspaper on a bench with sand at my feet overlooking the mouth of the Tyne across to the ruins of Tynemouth Castle and Priory. I decide that it I should try and eat or drink at least once in the establishments where I have never visited.

Within a minute from the house there the self styled community local, the Look Out (1) public house and another two minutes going northward to the further point on the hill overlooking the river mouth there are the adjacent inns, the Harbour Light (2) which serves as a local an also a restaurant with view, popular with local residents and the occasional visitor who climbs the steps from the beach side car parks to visit Arbeia Roman Fort or vice versa, and the Beacon (3) has become more up market and is a popular eating place evenings or to bring a visitor to a business lunch. I believe I have eaten once at the Harbour Light and can remember when I did so at the Beacon with a former senior colleague. The Beehive (4) is a modern local sports bar serving the former Council property side of the Law Top. Although most of the properties overlooking the river are now owned and further down the hill there are trendy riverside houses and flats in what was once docks. Towards the riverside, two thirds down the hill is a Weatherspoons Inn, The Wouldhave (5) where for a time I visits once a week for their curry night, a curry and a pint for £4. This marks the edge of club and bar land which I will come to later, as to day I continued along the riverside road towards the river passenger ferry passing the attractive Allum ale House (6). I continue on the riverside promenade the short couple of minutes to the Customs House theatre, cinema and art gallery centre where there is the Green Room restaurant and Bar (7) where I have eaten an excellent lunch when it was a separately run Italian restaurant Romano's. On the way into the town centre there are three attractive Inns now offering music and sports TV, and once the notorious red light district of dockland. The first is The Steamboat, (8), The Waterfront and Ragamuffins(9) and the modern looking The Riverside (10). Across the road there is now an art work of bar stool tables where once was an infamous night club which I did visit once in an official capacity taking along the crew of a visiting naval vessel for a night out. One of several externally unattractive locations, the product of Work War 2 bombing and post war concrete rebuilding of Market Square is The Brigantine (11) on the walk way from the Ferry into the market Square where there is a number of public houses and cafes. Franchi's (12) is an Espresso pavement café with next to it the Commando (13) and above it, the Dolphin Room (14). This is opposite the Coffee Cabin (15) across the square which is close to the first floor Market View Restaurant (16) tucked away in the corner. On the same side of the square but the other side of King Street , the main shopping centre, is Rose Mallones (17). And opposite there is the popular amusement arcade with snack bar (18).

I now journey along King Street and making a left turn towards a car park reached from the river drive where a very large and modern Italian Restaurant, the Restoranti Bravi (19) .I was surprised that it was opened at this location because there is not the kind of resident population who will eat out at basement restaurant however upmarket the décor and menu. Traditionally the local authority and professional community has gone home for lunch and the days of midday business lunches has passed. Running parallel with King Street the first stop could be the Queen Street Kitchen (20) and across the road the British Legion Club (21), next to it the Queen Street Fish and Chip Diner (22 and the shopper's popular Dave's fish and Chip Shop (23) .

Back on King Street on the north side at the junction with Ocean Road, Mile End Road and there the first floor popular Frankies Diner (24) with a great breakfast and next to it one of four attractive late Victorian buildings, three of which are public houses, two stills serving food, The Scotia (25). I leave the others till later and make my way back along King Street towards Market Square, where there a most attractive and large but comfortable McDonalds with some settees at the street window (26) Nobles Amusements has its Plaza Café (27) and Greggs (28). There are two of the latter, the first is just a shop and the second only a few doors away has a sit down area. Next there is a pavement coffee house, where there is also arm chair seating inside at the window The Café Nero (29) and a few doors away is Peters (30) another Bakery shop with seating for snacks, and I have used all three, sometimes when calling at Smiths the newsagent or coming for the free Metro paper on weekdays. On the Southern side of King Street after the three cafés there are the stairs/lift up to Metro station and a passage way leads to Kepple Street and Chapter Row which is used as a bus terminal throughout its length. Immediately going through the passage way is a sandwich diner Huffkins (31) and then if you continue towards the riverside and Custom's House development there is a branch of Subway (32) the fresh baguette franchise. There are also three other outlets selling ready made sandwiches in King Street, so that there a dozen outlets in total around King Street, thus perhaps indicating the trend amount shoppers and weekday workers for this kind of midday food.

I suspect that suffering most during the day time are the public houses, perhaps because of the no smoking ban, although those in and around the town centre have tended to build up a small loyal group of customers. I have mentioned the Brigantine, the Commando and Rosie Mallones on Market Square. On Commercial Road there are three more close together commencing with the a concrete looking monstrosity the General Havelock (33) and the contrasting inviting The Mechanics (34) and a Victorian looking Inn (35). I suspect these are popular with the Journalists and other staff of the Shield's Gazette whose building is located across Chapter Row, and when I first arrived it would also be popular with off duty police and firemen whose head quarters were nearby although the police and courts had their own club which I visited as part of being introduction to the unique community that is South Shields. The Fire Station is now located on the Temple Memorial Park providing quick access to all areas of the 1974 created metropolitan local authority while Police and Courts have moved also to purpose designed new buildings at Riverside.

Behind the Gazette building is a short street of fine Victorian Building which includes the Registrar and the Local Authority building which was the headquarters of the administration of the South Tyneside Social Services Department until new premises for all the management was provided. At the end of the street is The Douglas Vaults, (36) a grand style Victorian Pub which has live music and which is a building which can be seen from the east side of Market Square, across a small second Square which is sometimes used as an over flow area for gardening supplies. I have not covered all the places to eat and drink on Kepple/Chapterv Row as off the junction midweek along Kepple Streer has opened a new developed of four Fashionable stores aimed at the young men and women, as well as women in general. They are not intended for the mature and older men of what has been for over half a century a working class town made significantly poorer by the closure of ship yards and then coal, and major manufacturing developments. British Home Stores (37) has a small coffee area which I have visited but not the Café Desire (38) part of a Denham's for women branch, along side River Island and Next. The new site is presently dominated by a gas holder but adding completion and changing the complexion of the shopping centre and this area will be the replacement Asda superstore where the basic works is being undertake on a huge variable level site of a former pit and which leads to the Customs House Riverside area. Continuing back to the town centre I must not forget to mention the very popular claustrophobic Metro Diner (39) and there is also a new coffee lounge at first floor tanning centre (40) part of the Nobles Amusement building.

After passing the main Post office building, I join Fowler Street which runs up the hill top the Town Hall and civic centre from the junction between King Street, Ocean Road, and Mile End Road. This is a mixed street with a few shops and stores intermingling with firms of solicitors, banks and estate agents. Across from em is a small recent era development, the Denmark Centre which houses the enlarged Bingo centre and which also previously included the town centre supermarket before the Asda.

I walk up the street on the right hand where in side streets there is the Anne McCarthy's pub and further up a former night club (see under odds and ends), the BBQ king (41) on a corner alongside Usha, (42) Indian restaurant and the Raj Indian (43). On the other side of the Road is a well used Pub, The Stags Head (44) and in a small square leading to Public Library and car park there is a popular sports bar Coast (45). Further up the hill on a left turn with a fishmonger opposite is an Italian Restaurant which I used to know as the Sorrento (46) but had a different name and looked closed on the walk, and on the main street is Minchellas Café Rendezvous (47) which has also taken to the pavement. I then took he first detour on my right to a brand new development in the midst of a commercial area of warehousing outlets and firms. A renovated building has been two restaurants, the Orange grass (48) which serves Thai food and the Terrasini (49) which is Italian, On the way back to Fowler Street I passed the large Springs swimming and health club (50).Back towards Fowler Street and its commencement as Westoe Road, I pass the floor interestingly shaped with first floor open area Greek restaurant the Limani (51) . In Fowler Street on the left side close to the Town Hall and before Beach Road on the first floor of a listed building is the popular Italian Restaurant, The Case Rosa (52) which I have visited on quite evening many moons ago.

Now in the Westoe Road extension of Fowler Street and just passed the Town Hall where the Social Services Department was accommodated for a time in a building with the Housing Department and which has been closed for the greater part of a decade since asbestos was found and the building had to be renovated and stands available for renting, there is the Victorian Pub, the Britannia (53) across the road. I was not sure about the position of the Maltings (54) the real ale brewery which is in a side road off form the Britannia and which on a previous evening walk was open for customers.

Beach Road behind by the Town where set back are three storey Victorian Villas which are used for commercial premises, but where once there were some bars, including one which looks as if is has only recently close the B Bar (55), a basement venue. Across from the town Hall were also two very popular bars used by young people which also closed over the past year and have been given over to commercial offices. On can see that the town planners have been effective in centralising all the nightlife around Ocean Road which I shall come too shortly. First a member the modern public house The Voyager (56) which runs down to Ocean Road parallel to Fowler Street Opposite this is what was until recent years the biggest purpose designed night club in the town, Eivissa (57). During the two years when I visited my mother at her residential home travelling from the Law Top, I knew the Eivissa appeared to have ceased to function as a night club, but there would be a queue of school age teenagers, mainly one a week early evening for what I assumed were special alcohol and drug free disco sessions. After touring fifty six venues I now come to main club, bar and restaurant area of South Shields!

It begins at the of King Street and Fowler Street already covered and moved to Mile End Road and Ocean Road. In the Mile End Road I have mentioned the Scotia which is on one corner while on the other is The Ship and Royal (58) where I would sometime lunch on ten first floor with my then Chairman of Committee. There is now a pavement café, or was until the local authority commenced a major renovation of this central plaza location. Next to this pub are first floor Assembly rooms (59) and opposite these is the Criterion (60) Public house where the external and internal has undergone a major renovation, although this is now a trendy night time bar and the first floor restaurant stopped. Along the Mile End Road to the left is the large modern Atlantic Bar and Bistro (61 which also houses an exotic Tanning centre. Across from Atlantic is the Manhattan Bar (62) and then on the corner is the biggest night club space in a most attractive building and which until recently was the Coyote Wild based on the infamous New York venue from drinking hard and even harder. It has now become Vibe (63). Across form here on the Mile end is the Yates Lodge (64) where I have had a good early evening meal. The Mile End Road was access to the South Shields Station when trains operated before the Metro system and until last year there was an infamous concrete never used car park, except by roller skating adolescents, wino's and drug takers. This has been demolished and has become an open car park space for the time being. The station building has become a mobility shopping centre and a centre for Women's health, and there is access onto the platform of the Metro train system without having to use the King Street stairs or lift system. Across from the car park was a working men's club which in May reopened after a complete modernization to become a trendy leisure bar with function facilities called The Mile (65). Adjacent to the Mile in what is a small square is Dusk ((66) also a weekend night club, and next to Dusk is the previously mentioned Wouldhave.

Returning to the pedestrian part of Ocean Road, the is the popular Minchella's café and ice cream parlour (67) and then after a few shops there is Kirkpatrick's Pub (68) the most impressive of all Victorian buildings in the town. This is opposite the Museum, art gallery and tourist office in another impressive Victorian building. Alongside Kirkpatrick's there is walkway between the present Asda Store which overlooks Vibe and leads to one of two Masonic Halls (69) in the town. Next to this is the large and popular Working men's and their families club belong to employees of the Brigham and Cowans (70) Shipyard and when on one social occasion was introduced to Captain McNulty whose yard has been engaged in North Sea Platform work for over a decade. Opposite Kirkpatrick's was the popular Chase Lounge 2 for 1 diner and bar (71) which has just closed whereas opposite Asda's George, The Beach Bar (72) only opened earlier in the year, above which is the longer standing Glitter Ball Bar (73), and a few door away from this is the latest opening, The Palma (74) in a three storey building which has also been renovated inside out and out and from top to bottom. Next to the Palma is one of the those venues where all the windows are boarded and painted to mask the sound, this is the home of Raffles (75) and Dante (76) Bars. Raffles boasts that the weekend begins on Thursday, but across the way Roxanne's (77) and Vogue (78) advertise their nights as Friday and Saturday. These clubs are also on the first and second floor of a large building above the Noble's amusement centre and where the widows are also boarded and painted. A little way along Ocean Road towards the sea front another public house is now fully boarded and used as a night club/bar at weekends, The Bizz Bar (79)

From the junction roundabout which marks the end of the pedestrian part of Ocean Road begins an almost continuous street of restaurants on one side and attractive modern small hotels and guests houses on the other. I did photograph in order but lost this when the album became alphabetical an I am too lazy to out and note down the sequence again.

Asha (80) Exclusive Indian; Café India Asian (81) Chinchilla Pizza and Kebabs (82) Coleman's Award Winning Fish and Chip restaurant and separate Take away, (83); Curry centre (84) Take away; Delizia Indian (85) Dilshad Indian (86) Empress of India (87); Harbour City Peking Cantonese (88); Indian Brasserie (89); Indian Essence (90) restaurant and take away; Mama Mia (91) Pizza and Kebabs; The Marine public house (92); Milano chicken burgers and chips (93); Momotaj Tandori (94) Moonlight Indian Take away (95) Ocean Road Chinese Takeaway (96) Pains Italian (97) Piers Italian (98) Paprika Indian (99) Pizzeria (100); Queen of India Tandori (101) Radium Indian (102) Red Hut Fish and Chips (103); Royal China Chinese (104) Royal Tandori (105) Shan Fran Tandori (108); Smith's traditional Chippy (107) Southern Fried Chicken take away (108); Spice Garden Contemporary Indian (109); Star of India (110) ; The Pier Pub (111); and Zeera Indian (112).

By this time I had experienced Wow but my journey was not at and end because before I could return home there was sea front and beach side!

First after walking between North and South Marine Parks is the Pier Café (113) next to an amusement arcade and a Laser adventure and overlooking the Westhovian Theatre. There are plenty of pubic seating here to the side and overlooking the mouth of the river and across to Tynemouth Priory and Castle, and ideal for eating fish and chips from newspaper obtained from the nearest kiosk (114) next the Tale of the Whale (115) a modern bar restaurant popular with coach parties. From my sea I could look to a former harbour look out building which has been converted into an Italian restaurant Essy's (116), and some distance away closest to the river mouth is the Little Haven Hotel, (117) ideal for mid morning coffee, or afternoon teas as well as the popular lunch where on one recent visit everywhere was crowded with a members of a women's organisation.

Another venue for a substantial meal or special occasion event is the Sea Hotel (118) with a bar, restaurant and area for private parties. Across from the Hotel is the Dunes indoor amusement centre with arcade type games and modern electronic games, pool tables and indoor bowling and the Ten Pin Tavern (119) a window less modern pub interior where the food is expensive given the competition. The Dunes is part of a major all season amusement park with a whole range of traditional fairgrounds rides where you can by candy floss and rock and there is What's Cooking (120) burger stall. However most people will want a sit down meal at some point and overlooking the vast beachside all weather sports centre for young people offering football, basket ball, skate board and bicycle tricks area is the Seaview restaurant (121). Next to this with views of the sands and of the sea some distance away as well as of an adventure area with crazy golf and a Galleon to play on is the Blue Marlin Fish and Chip Restaurant (122). If you prefer the contemporary range of pub food, presently offering a sandwich, chips an a drink for £4.50 or two main meals for £8, there is the Sundial, which is also popular for Sunday Roast. (123). There is also a road Fish and Chip Log Cabin (124). Across the road in South Marine Park there is an Open air café where I have sampled their Bacon Butty's and coffee one Spring morn (125). It is temporarily closed as part of the million pound restoration of the Park to is former Victorian splendour. I believe it will be enlarged as usually one has to queue for table in the summer. A popular haunt for a special event on a drink as part of an evening stroll are two railway carriages which was the Marsden rattler but what is now and enlarged Italian Restaurant The Tavistock (126). A short pleasant promenade walk away and a popular place to bring the car and park roadside or other official car park is Minchella's ice cream kiosk and tea and coffee snack centre (127), and a popular haunt over the past year for bikers. This is close by the Amphitheatre and covered walk way where one can shelter in poor weather. This summer there are 30 free concerts June to August, about half brass bands but also the whole range of music from China Crisis and the Acoustic Beatles to Bessie and the Zinc Buckets, Pineapple Head, the Sour Mash and the Bede Wind Philharmonic. Across in the exhibition park in July will be Lulu, Journey South and Same Difference and Legends of the sixties including the remains of the Animals band as well as twenty bands and acts yet to be announced in the mouth of the Tyne Festival over 12th and 13th July. Another short walk and I would have reached the Sand Dancer a restaurant pub on the beach where I would eat once a week over a decade. It has now been converted to a trendy Beach bar with an interesting menu. Across the road from Gypsies Green which is scheduled to become a conference hotel and the former Victorian bandstand scheduled to become and eating tea and coffee centre is the New Crown (128) former hotel where I would have Sunday lunch in a traditional dining room overlooking the coast. It ahs now become a more modern sports bat 2 for 1 meal pub, offering a great all day breakfast deal and Curry night offers. It is at the limit of my 15 to 20 minute brisk walk away but these days I would take the car unable to face he climb back up the hill after a good meal and this applies to the Sand Dancer.

There are a number of queries before I can claim this is a comprehensive and inclusive account of what is available within walking of my home. I will upload the available photographs over the next couple of days while I check to make sure I have not missed any. Nor is this end of my walks about town and description of places to eat, drink and make merry. It could be expected that given such a concentration of facilities within a mile, there would be little else in the rest of the town, but sich a view would be msitake. Today I explore the area of Fredericke Street and Green Lane, a close to the riverside community which has been hit hard over the past two decades when the Plessey Factory closed with its 4000 jobs and then a similar fate occurred with the successor occupier, who for a time attempted a management buy out. Today I went to see the commencement of building demolition and to check that the signs of recovery on a previous visit had foundation. There are 100 shops and stores of interests this area half of which have been closed and some the he building derelict of . There is still a dozen pubs and eating places. A second area of shops, pubs and takeaways is from the Chichester Metro and bus centre, along to Bolden Lane where the Home of my mother was a resident and the District General Hospital. There third area is from Harton Village to the Nook. There are Housing estates to the south of the John Reid and Coast Road within the South Shields Boundary, one is under major development while the other two involving several thousands former local authority houses do have small local shopping centres with local pubs, clubs and community facilities at Whiteleas and Brockley Whins There is also the Riverside to Port of Tyne docklands, exporting cars from Nissan and importing coal and Timber from Europe. These are for another day, including my first visit to Ahmed's the most amazing international store I have experienced.

First the queries. I started with the South Tyneside Nightlife and Eating Out Guide. I did not find Coffee Life in Fowler Street which could have become Minchella's Café Rendezvous. Waterfalls Fish and Steak restaurant at 7 Mount terrace is for checking in the morning. I did not find Naseeb's Tandori at 89/90 Ocean Road but it is likely to have been renamed, and similarly Shalimar. I am yet to find where South Avenue is for Spice 1. Breeze in Charlotte Terrace opposite the Town Hall has departed so has Cube in Queen Street and GLO on the Mile End Road, together with O'Brien's Beach Rd, Opus and Escape in Ocean Road. I may have missed the Flying Angel cellar Club at 53 Mill Dam.