Rivera Coastline

I live within a day's walking of the most varied and attractive coastline as anywhere in the British Islands. Sure its lacks the isolation of Scottish shores, the rolling sands of Southport, or the seaside of Scarborough, but I can experience aspects of all three, enjoy fish and chips from the voted best restaurant in the North or a quality three course meal at the National Glass centre.

I am fortunate to be able to have the time and the means to do this as I share the environment with some of the most economically and socially deprived people in Britain. The problem is not the lack of political will or effort at local and national level. The reality is that it has become cheaper to important coal for our power stations and only a minority of domestic households burn coal, while ships are built in other places, as is much of the steel. It is cheaper and more environmentally friendly and consumer popular to have Scampi sent half way across the world to be hand shelled and then returned home to be packed for the supermarket shelves, or for our Christmas time decorations to be made in China, than locally.

Various actions have and are being taken to change the local economy to the modern world, and tourism is one of these. However the task is how to ensure an increase in the all year number of visitors staying in the wide range of hotels and guest houses, or taking a good meal in the dozens of restaurants, pubs and cafes, along or close to coast and riversides, without destroying the special nature of the environmental mixture.

Seaside South Shields
The stretch of wide sands between the Tyne river mouth and the south harbour pier wall is known as Little Haven, and this is the name of the purpose built 62 room modern hotel at the beginning of the coastline. Here you can a couple can stay for £64 at weekends, including full English Breakfast, or for £94 with two children in a family room, or for that special treat the Penthouse Suite at £180 a night. Between the hotel and the pier wall there are public care and coach parks and a wide beach overlooking the river mouth, which is used for those who wish to keep close to the funfair and fish and chip outlets.

The amusement arcades at the Ocean Park Fun Fare are open all year and the rides from Easter until September from 10 am until late. Part of the Funfair is the Dunes complex which includes a pub restaurant, a ten pin bowling centre and billiard tables, as well as traditional amusements. There are several fish and chips restaurants, tea rooms and ice cream outlets. To one side of the Amusement Park there are beachside homes and between the park and the beach the Local authority has developed an all weather outdoor centre for skate boarding, football and other sports.

The depth of the sands of the beach is extraordinary, with an area of dunes and a small row of beach chalets homes which have been improved to the extent that they are hired out for both week and weekend holiday homes at reasonable rates. Next to the chalets is a popular Italian restaurant which incorporates two railway carriages. Along this stretch of costal main road there are two other restaurants bars with the popular Sand Dancer recently renovated to create a beach bar atmosphere. There is also the amphitheatre with entertainments for family, teenagers and children throughout the summer months of July to August. There is also a covered walk way which doubles as a band space and entertainment area if it rains and from the top there are great views in all directions. There are glorious banks of flowers on the other side of coast road and a former wall of fountains is also used for flowers. The three parks, the caravan and camping site and the football recreation pitches are all on the other side of the road, together with the amateur theatre, the original Life boat, the Sea Hotel and the Ocean Road parade of restaurants and guest house hotels.

Trow Rocks, Frenchman's Creek and Marsden Grotto. At present the Sand Dancer and the old Bandstand marks the end of Seaside South Shields, with the former New Crown Hotel across the coast road to Sunderland. There are plans to convert the bandstand into a café and build a hotel and conference centre on the Gypsies Green Stadium, and which each year becomes part of the end of Great North Run facilities. The land between the beach road, used for emergency and public vehicles, and the Coast Road widens considerably at this point, all the way to the former Trow Quarry and Rocks, above which sit's the former World War 1 gun emplacement.

The beach can be used for sunbathing but swimming is prohibited as this is the designed area for water sports and at different times of the year the surfing is highly regarded.

It is from a recently closed beachside restaurant before the former Quarry that the coast line changes with the majority of the bays and inlets hidden from the Coast Road and from parts of the Leas. It was coincidental that on an early day of my summer walking, a three mastered and rigged sailing ship was anchored off the entrance to the River Tyne, reminding of former times when such vessels would anchor off shore and lower boats to bring in contraband. The most famous location is the cave inside the cliffs at Marsden Bay, subsequently turned into a restaurant and bar.

The story begins with an Allenhead miner and his wife who decided to live in the cave when he retired aged 80 with the consequence that gentle folk came on horse and in their carriages to look at this phenomenon, and couple had the great idea of providing refreshments. The cave was then developed into an Inn and a smuggler was shot with his ghost haunting the place ever since and a pint is left out each evening and is sometimes drunk. Another man who betrayed his comrades was imprisoned in a barrel which was held by the winch which took the contraband up to the cliff top through a cave shaft.

The main development of the cave into a major building occurred between 1828 and 1874 resulting in eight rooms including a kitchen, ballroom and bedrooms. The facility was then aquired by the Whitburn Mining Company, which in turn became the Harton Mining Company and a barrister was installed as tenant whose main interest was gambling. Tenant after tenant followed and the establishment degenerated. In 1898 the lease was acquired by Vaux, the former Sunderland brewing and hotel owning company, and became the freehold owners in 1939. The Marsden Grotto has a lift alongside the cliff which takes visitors down to the first floor dining room, or the lower bar with beach veranda where snack meals can also be purchased. Towards the end of the twentieth century the fortunes of Vaux changed and the establishment closed its doors. The vast River Wearside plant was demolished and has remained vacant for over half a decade because of an ongoing dispute about its future use. Oxford Hotels acquired the Grotto in 2006 and it has been developed into a fish restaurant with the lower level now Jack's bar.

It was a bright sunny day when I made the walk down the pathway from the Leas, and then across the rocks and sands to the Inn. There are also two sets of public steep stairs, leading to he beach, although one was closed for safety reasons. It is wise not to walk too closely below the cliffs because of the risk of falling rocks. I arrived at midday and was able to take the last vacant table on the veranda, enjoying an overflowing prawn baguette with a little salad for £5.50. An accompanying full salad costs an additional £2. I spent a pleasant hour overlooking the famous Marsden Rock, once arched, until it too began to fragment so it had to be blown up to prevent serious injuries to the many young and old who like to explore at the base.

My journey exploring the rocky coast land was only halfway.

Sunday sun at South Shields

It had been my intention to go for a walk in the afternoon as it was such a fine day but I came over tired and relaxed and then remembered that it was the final apart of the radio adaptation of the Wilkie Collins dramatic adventure story Armadale. I had heard the second part on the Sunday afternoon while travelling to Oxford after my lunchtime stop. Wilkie was a friend and collaborator with Dickens and gained an international following for his writing, 27 novels, 15 plays and one hundred other pieces of non fiction as well as short stories. His best known works are The Moonstone and The Woman in White. Twenty five film versions of the two books have been created in the UK, the USA, Russia, France, Italy and Germany.

Armadale is a convoluted tale. It si the story of two cousins who in law are in fact called Allan Armadale although this is never known to either oft hem and where the life of both becomes threatened and one dangerously so by the behaviour of a scheming adventuress Lydia Gwilt who acts as the narrator of the story in the radio adaptation and who is honest about her Machiavellian nature and her ability to use her beauty and sexual allure to bend most men to her will. That the work was published in 1866 and is therefore extraordinary because of its portrayal such a scheming and fundamentally evil woman, although she meets an appropriate untimely end..

I therefore did not set off for my walk until 4 and fund that the Durham Light Infantry Band had appeared at the Amphitheatre between 2 and 4. I walked back beach side have cut through the park. The small railway was doing good business with 25 customers at £1 a time for the double circuit around the lake. The bikers continue to take over the kiosk cafe and there was much evidence of young men in small fast cars trying to attract the attending of the pairs of young woman also out on the prowl. Some enterprising person or group has established a bicycle rickshaw type of service charging £1.50 a journey with the marketing approach of being Eco Friendly. It is not clear what this compromises because in addition to going back and forth the length of the beachside roadway open only to local authority vehicles and those using the Beach holiday chalets the two drivers were seen taking parties through the park and along Ocean Road. I decided not to linger as I wanted to watch the end of the Men’s Twenty Twenty final.

A new store in Town South Shields

I began the piece by saying that there were two events which summoned up Britain on Monday. The new 24 hour Azda supermarket opened and the majority of South Shields popped in to see what it was like. When I returned on Tuesday afternoon it was still busy. The supermarket can be reached by car from only two roads. The minor route involves taking sides streets from the roadway into South Shields from Sunderland and it was interesting to note on Tuesday that there were significant fewer cars from this direction than previously reached the old store via a route passed the Town Hall and crossing over the junction between the pedestrian area of Ocean Road and the open road down to the sea front. I joined into this traffic from the Law Top Hill. The other old route meant that those from the Whiteleas and adjacent former Council estates and the older properties before the town centre, those out on thee Newcastle Road and in the Laygate and Fredericke Street areas had to come passed the location of the new store, passed the Ferry landing and on to Law Top. For some Tesco on the Newcastle Road was closer and for others there was Lidl on the way from Whiteleas and from Laygate. In terms of walking distance the new store is about the same from the buses, depending on in which bus stop you need but further away from the Metro Station. The main Taxi services were around the corner from the old store and the entrance is to the new will require a detour travelling in the opposite direction in order to reach the riverside side road.

I mention the roadways because whereas the public could reach the old store from the pedestrian area of the Town centre using escalators to the shopping level they now have to cross the road used by the majority of cars going to the car parking area. There are two crossing points one controlled by traffic lights.

There are 500 spaces in the car park with about one hundred under cover forming the ground floor of the store which is regarded as the basement level. There is a nominal charge of £1 for 90 minutes of free stay, returnable if £5 or more is spent at the store. You can stay another 90 minutes for an additional £1 which is not refundable. There are no barriers and I presume and I assume traffic wardens will manage with a fine of £60 prescribed for those not showing the appropriate ticket. There are few ticket purchase points, This system only operates from 9am to 6pm weekdays. If the same level of fresh produce vegetables, bakery and fish supplies for example si kept up then there will be need to go early morning and afternoon as with the old store

You reach the first level called ground floor by moving pavements or two lifts and it was evident that here is an increase in mothers and disabled people using the store without having car access. The store seemed to me as big as that at Bolden and Morrison’s at Jarrow, possible larger than Morrison’s at Sunderland and larger that Tesco’s on the Newcastle Road. Four major supermarkets, two operating 24 hours weekdays with two in town centres and one next to the cinema multiplex and food four restaurants. The new store had the clothing area George on the same level as household and then food and drink. It is over twice the size of the former store with the addition of a pharmacy, delicatessen and fishmongers and an enlarged bakery. The range and quantities available appeared to be significantly better than any of the other stores or any I have seen elsewhere. I was impressed in this respect. There were twice as many checkouts and more than twice the number of staff employed overall. I found some who I recognise and one who recognise me and said hullo which would not have happened in the old store and an indication that even the staff found the place overwhelming. There was a little moment of oh no when I realised I had left my card wallet at home but fortunately I had sufficient cash, was seven pounds in credit. The things left and for which I went back for this afternoon came to six pounds, but I am not good at keeping running totals in my head especially when trying work out what was where.

As it started to rain I parked under cover and found this area almost deserted and was able to park close to the entrance and lifts. I also took the opportunity to view the small first floor area which includes restaurant toilets. Tea and coffee is 98p more than Morrison’s and a sausage or bacon bap is a further £1.34 so the Ship and Royal is still the best deal in town.. My conclusion on two visits over the first two days at different times is that more people were shopping and spending more which will be good for the store but must have considerable impact on stores at the Market end of town. As a PS The frozen food area was also impressive.

South Shields Take away and Perspective on Parliamentary Expense

There were signs that some commentators and contributors to news programmes appreciate that the manner of the expenses stories published this week will have major impact on the democratic process in the UK and has dangerous possibilities with a move to withdraw form Europe one outcome and the risk of anti democratic parties being elected, with a right wing take over more likely than one the left.

I know I tend to see conspiracies more than most because of the existence of secret databases and organisations and interests concerned at keep things one way or preventing them moving in another. With the development of information becoming concentrated on computers and transferable through emails, disks and other storage devices it is easy for clandestine organisations to gain information either by illegal means, bribery or having supporters in organisations willing to pass on information.

If there is doubt about this then look first at Parliament where individuals employed in the civil service pass on information to Politicians and to journalists on a regular basis as is the position in local government. Politicians are also known for passing on information to journalists. There have been suggestions and some evidence of politicians also links to other governments and various intelligence services. The intelligence services themselves rely of informants and there would be no point in governments meetings the costs of their overseas intelligence organisations unless they demonstrate the provision of hard information and this will involve willing informants more than illegal or clandestine operations.

Similarly much of police work relies on a range of intelligence information. Rather than mount their own surveillance operations the police frequently rely on information recorded by local authority and private closed circuit television cameras. The extent to which local authorities have access to the range of databases now available through government including the police and the national health service has become comprehensive.

However less public and rarely commented on in the media is the information gathering by international corporations and trade bodies and private organisation with political, religious and criminal interests. The most recent disclosure was the circulation of information about individuals blacklisted in the building industry. There are databases on credit, databases on insurance claimants and now one master base covering road vehicles, insurances and MOT. The biggest change has come about under the umbrella of the war against international terrorism. This has led the government to wanting access to all e mails and internet site communications throughout the world.

It is however not surprising that the very people who promote and legislate for their interventions on individual behaviour, freedoms and rights themselves restrict the information on their activities as much as they can. They resisted information about their expenses because they knew the system would raise issues and reveal wrongdoing as well a genuine mistakes and using the available allowances to the maximum.

Yesterday I accused the Daily Telegraph of bias and selectivity and a failure to provide a framework for making judgements, something which the media in general were avoiding and concentrating on individuals. The BBBC has attempted to remedy this on its website by providing the basic information on each Member of Parliament as revealed in the Telegraph


on expenses published in the Telegraph which covers 34 Labour 27 Conservative 7 Liberal Democrats and half a dozen others including Sinn Fein and where the research appears to have been restricted to those claiming second home allowances. This is significant because the second home allowance is a minor part of the expense claim of Members of Parliament amounting to £23000 maximum whereas two thirds of the 600 plus members claim a total of more than £150000 expenses a year, ranging to £200000. Over half the amount claimed concerns staffing. The Commons has taken the decision to remove the employment and administration of the office staff under its control. There has been one major case of a n MP using facility members to claim part of this allowance and one wonders what has been the situation in general and why has the Daily Telegraph not looked at this aspect? Sir Stuart Bell claimed £21000 travelling from Middlesbrough while Sir Alan Beith only £14000 from Berwick, David Cairns also Labour £10000 from Inverclyde yet Sharwar Mohamed claimed £25000 from Glasgow. There are also similar disparities in office equipment and communication claims. Interestingly Denis Skinner claimed the lowest at £66000 with only three under £100000 including Nicholas Winterton. Are these individuals performing less well for their constituents and in parliament than those claiming between 50 and 100% more
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The second Test Match against the West Indies opened at Chester Le Street yesterday before an embarrassingly small number of spectators, said to total 3000 sparsely distributed around the ground with a capacity of over 12000 although the visual evidence was that more like an eighth of the stadium was filled. Durham has held four test matches all in May and against weaker test sides. Glamorgan is to hold its first test match in August against the Australians. Prejudice what prejudice? The wicket was as placid as placid could be and the West Indians in the field and the spectators who attended did their best in the freezing conditions to provide some entrainment for those who had paid from £35 to £70 for the day.

England won the toss and were 302 for 2 as the first day ended with Bopara achieving a record third century in succession and with only Herbert Sutcliffe, Denis Compton, Geoff Boycott and Graham Gooch among British Players to have achieved the same feat. Bopara’s distinction is that he was dropped by West Indian Fielders in each of his three innings. 24 year old Alistair Cooked also scored 100 and was 126 not out at close of play, this his ninth Test century at the age of 24 years. It rained all day Friday and Durham desperate to improved the situation begged disappointed ticket holder to accept a ticket for the three remaining days although a full refund is also available less £1.40 admin charge which is a disgrace, the charge I mean. I significantly better turn out is promised for tomorrow but the weather is still in doubt.

I watched American Idol where the competition has reached the last three, two of whom have the support of evangelical America and all three are good enough to win. On Friday night there were two surprises. The flamboyant Adam came through as did the quiet Chris which left Mr Gokey out in the cold. It will be a surprise if Adam does not now win although the combined evangelical and young vote should see him successful

Taggart was another basic crime story with a psychic playing an pivotal role

Earlier this year I commented that some twenty five take away outlets in South Shields had circulated information about their services. The number has increased to forty


01 AK’s Tripple Diner Nevinson avenue 420 0266
02 Abrakebabra Mile End Road 498 7806
03 Aloy Aloy Pier Parade 456 4134
37 Bombay Tandori Fredericke Street 456 8100
04 The Beacon Green Place 456 6485
05 China Cook Canterbury Street 455 2255
40 Chinchilla Ocean Road 4270172
36 Crown of India Ocean Road 4557783
28 Delli Frederick Street 454 7575
06 Donatellos Fowler Street 454 4322
33 Eastern Eye Chichester Rd 4552829d
07 Express of India Ocean Road 454 8882
08 The God Father Whiteleas Way 420 2727
09 Herbs n Spice Lake avenue 427 5118
27 Indian Essence 496 7777
10 Log Fire Pizza Dean Road 423 1960
31 M & M’s Fredericke 454 6699
38 Mama Mia’s Ocean Road 4275757
11 Manneks Caterers Fredericke Street 427 9477
12 Marine Osborne Avenue 456 82382
13 Mini House Laygate 454 4253
35 Moonlight Indian Woodbine St 4558002
32 Mushy’s Fowler St 4548585
39 Naz’s Spice Portberry Street 456 5538
14 New Delhi Fredericke Street 454 7575
34 Number 1 Indian Fredericke St 4547575
15 Orange Grass Mount terrace 455 8555
16 Papa John Prince Edward Rd 427 9201
17 Pizza Corner Stanhope Road 455 4567
18 Planet Pizza Bolden labe 455 5057
26 Pizza Porter Laygate 456 6600
19 Quarry Lane Tandori 456 6959
30 Rahmania Fredericke St 4544544

Fredericke Street

A good title for this piece is fishy tales of Fredricke Street. When I arrived to work in South Shields Fredericke was a thriving mixture of local shops, second-hand stores and specialist enterprises. Now half the buildings at the southern end of this long street perhaps with 100 business opportunities have become vacant and the buildings themselves showing every symptom of dereliction. At the northern end there is the post office, some public houses and some take aways to serve a lower income community of rented accommodation inhabited by Muslims who worship at a Mosque where Mohamed Ali had a marriage ceremony with a few days of the visit of Queen Elizabeth to mark her year on the throne. The reason for the decay has been the closure of the Plessey Factory then its reopening by another hi tech firm, then its gradually reduction of staffing through a management out to its present demise, and the rebuilding of part of the area with lower income home ownership with cars to use Asa at Shields or Morrison's at Jarrow.

(I am writing this against a background of Broadway to Bob Fosse musical theatre choreographer who died in 1987 at the comparatively early age of sixty Pyjama Game. Damn Yankees, Big Spender from Sweet Charity and my favourite where I watch the film version once a year Cabaret which he directed but was not involved with the stage production. He was involved with Chicago but had died before the film version. He was also responsible for Kiss me Kate on screen, Lenny and all that Jazz. An early musical involvement was The Bells are ringing (for me and my gal).

At the northern end of Fredericke was the Green Street L shaped area of post war development of look alike shops with flat above and which recently have an a make over and anew lease of life, although the transfusion of a mini supermarket was necessary which involved demolition of one side of Green Street to accommodate the building and car park. The advertising of the Lidl store which opened in mid December has been intensive. Lidl goes in for special offer weeks of everything from kitchen equipment to back to school and office equipment at exceptional discount price. However my interest was not in the special offer low cost staple food fare but their low cost special offer of luxury items especially fish and cured meats.

Tonight I purchased a pack of four Sea Bream for 6.49 and four sea vase at 6.99 with two packs of 200 grams of smoked salmon each 1.69. Tonight I commenced to enjoy the thick cut slices with a twist of lemon on crackers. The Italian ham slices are also excellent value but the great surprise was to find that they had a stock of Spanish Turron at 1.49 where both my British and Spanish suppliers charge around £4 for the same slab. I shall stock up for a year or two. Commencing the first Thursday of January there is to be a sale of office supplies and my eye fixed on photographic paper.

The smoked salmon was delicious in what became a fishy day as with a cup of tea on returning home I had a carton of shell on prawns and then later a defrosted bass which had been the only fish planned for the day. The main purpose of the afternoon shopping was to collect my suit from the dry cleaners after not remembering where I had put the ticket for several hours. I managed a little work but late evening was given over to two films. I have not seen Ray Barrett the Australian actor for at least ten years, the last occasion was an Aussi film which had a wild aspect but more than that I cannot remember. My first cultural encounter with Ray was when he came over the UK but again what for? This evening he was in an Australian Graham Greenish Raymond Chandler offering with a good script in which he provided the thoughtful commentary on the events of an attempted coup for commercial interests.

Then I did some research the first shock is that Ray is now 80 12 years my senior and the film Goodbye Paradise is some 20 years old and the second is that he had a role in Emergency Ward 10 as well appearing in everything that was popular during the late 50's, 60's and early 70's, Dixon of Dock Green, Thunderbirds, Dr Who, Till death do us part, Play of the month and armchair theatre. However I knew most for the over 100 appearances in the series The Troubleshooters 1965-1972 in which appeared with Geoffrey Keen and Brian Latham. And the wild film, well it was for 1976, Don's Party. Despite his age he continues to act, mostly on TV but he has a part in a major film due for release in 2008 Australia which stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Good on you Ray, I mourned the fact that you went home after making your name in the UK.

The second film is a Spanish Mexican rites of passage film featuring the relationship between two young upper class Mexican teens around 17 18 before going to university and their holiday adventure with a newly wed in law whose wedding party they attend along with the President Y Tu Mama Tambien. At one level this is well trodden story as the teenagers vie for the attention and affection of the older girl whose husband has admitted an act of infidelity while away on a conference, as they head for an idyllic beach. What they do not know, nor did the husband when he phoned his admission, is that the young woman has just been told she has an incurable disease. The relationship between the young men changes when she gives herself to one of them but even when she decides to balance up it is too late and the final scene is reminiscent of so many other films, usually about college life, where a group become close but they go their separate ways, never to recapture past moments of collective harmony and shared visions and sometimes shared loves.

There is also a is a reminder that everything has its season and it is wise to accept this is so and not attempt to journey back or stay fixed at any point within one's time span, in Goodbye Paradise as Ray says goodbye to his young companion and settle for being an ex was somebody once.

Northern Rivera Cleadon Hills and Whitburn

3. The Leas, the Cleadon Hills and Temple Park
The Leas is an open space of grasses between the A183 Coast Road at the Groyne, South Shields and the Souter Lighthouse at Marsden, and includes the site of the former village which I have included in the section under History. The Leas are several kilometres in length with a width which varies from 500 meters to under 50.

The land is now the responsibility of the National Trust handed over by South Tyneside Council to prevent possible use for other purposes in the future and because maintenance had proved a cost problem. First impression when driving along the coast road is of a flat surface whereas there are different levels nearer the cliff edge and in parts the grass is left coarse because of wild flowers.

There is a full length gravel cycle path and bicycles can be hired for half or a full day with protective gear, from the information centre on the promenade by the covered walk way. There is roadside parking along most of the length of the Leas and off road car parks at Marsden Bay. There is also parking beach side between Gypsies Green Sports Ground and Trow Rocks which is reached by a road from the Coast Road which also takes one to the former Water's Edge Restaurant and Bar.

At Trow Point there is the gun emplacement on the highest point with commanding views of the South Shields beach and the mouth of the Tyne and here rock has been quarried but is now grassed over.

The cliffs are dangerous from crumbling rocks and there are clear markings which should be strictly adhered to. Within view of each other there are red signs each numbered for the purposes of summoning help in an emergency and at more frequent intervals there are simple benches with a plaque, donated by family or friends. Each one tells a story and it is good to sit and think about the lives remembered, some short, some on behalf of those who moved away from the area, while others were regular walkers through their long lifetimes.

There are three Leas, Trow, Frenchman's and Marsden. There are Housing developments on the other side of the Coast Road and above the bank for a short distance after the junction with the A1300,and then there is a banked mobile home site, the former Lime Kilns and a working Quarry. Behind this area of coast there is a vast area of almost continuous countryside with two adjacent golf courses, the Whitburn and the South Shields courses, active agricultural land, and the protected Cleadon Hill nature reserve from which there are panoramic views across Sunderland to the South and into Durham to the West and across Gateshead and Newcastle into Northumberland to the North West. There is then the Cleadon Parkland as part of the Cleadon Park residential area although from the Cleadon Hills through Agricultural land there is direct access to the vast usually deserted area of Temple Park, a space lager than Green or St James Park in London but left as a natural space with trees and shrubs although there is a lighted walkway and off the main inland road between South Shields and Sunderland there is an indoor Swimming Pool, three large indoor sports courts and a range of other indoor leisure facilities as well as outside all weather pitches and a skate board area.

There is continuing controversy about the purpose of Temple Memorial Park, especially since a fire station was built at the road side opposite the entrance to the General Hospital. There is a commitment not to build housing, business or industrial premises although making better use of the space for recreational purposes would seem sensible as there were only one or two other people when I went for walking breaks while visiting my mother at the hospital.

This volume closes with five pages of photographs of the Leas. Three further pages, and photographs of the area of Cleadon Hill, the Italianate former Waterworks' Tower and pumping station and Temple Park will open the second volume of Rivera 2007.

Northern Rivera South Shields Riverside

The Open spaces

1 North Marine Park

Outside of central London where three parks interconnect, St James onto Green Park and Green Park onto Hyde Park, and where the great space of Regents Park is not too far away. I know of nowhere other than the coastal area between South Shields and north Sunderland where there is so much open space, and formal parkland, and here within moments from my front door there is the immeasurable bonus of the sea and a coastline of rocks, inlets and bays. Find me somewhere else in the United Kingdom which has so much to offer in such a compact area?

North Marine Park is a combination of three spaces on a Hill overlooking the mouth of the river Tyne. The middle space is open grass which runs from the top of the hill from where trees and shrubs obscure the river as it reaches the wide estuary of Little Haven Bay artificially created by the two long piers, one from the north bank headland of Tynemouth Priory and Castle and the other from the southern base of the south bank hill known as the Lawe Top, which as I discovered, some who live in South Shields do not know its name or ever have cause to visit, except perhaps once to the Arbeia Roman Fort.
There is a children's play area on the middle space, compensation for the lack of gardens in the former three storey terraced villas which were once the homes of the sea captains and their officers. The first space, is hidden space, a pathway surrounded by trees and shrubs from the top end of the hill to where the middle space sweeps down a steep bank to the car parks and promenade of Little Haven Bay. It is this area where consultants have suggested the local authority builds a visitor's centre and restaurant for Arbeia and construct a beacon observation tower to signal the existence of the former fort and supply depot. The edge of the bank is where a crowd sometimes assemble, a mixture of locals and visitors according to the sudden disappearance of car parking spaces, usually to watch fireworks on or around November 5th, or as part of the new Mouth of the Tyne Festival over a weekend in July, or on the two occasions when the Tall ships arrived on the river to visit Newcastle and then paraded as they left to race their next leg, or as in this year, to greet the arrival of the QE2 to the Tyne.

To mark the increasing significance of the Fort and occasions for visitors to assemble, there is now a splendid stairway down this part of the bank to the car parks and beach with the Yacht club and Little Haven Hotel at one end and the entrance to the pier at the other. At this lower level it is possible to also enter the third and main space of North Marine Park, a traditional but varied parkland which commences with trees and shrubbed walks down the hill to several bowling greens towards the sea shore, to pleasant walkways, some lined with rose bushes, other flowers and flowering shrubs, to secluded picnic areas which are given an oriental feel because of archways and a pagoda like building on a little hill. Within this area there is what appears to be the basics of the hull of a ship, a pirates' ship perhaps, and when weather permits, a putting course.

The park ends at Ocean Road, which was once a tributary of the Tyne thus the Lawe Top was an island and from here you can cross the road into South Marine Park, or walk into or from the town centre enjoying a meal at the best fish and chippy in the North East, or at one of the score of oriental and Mediterranean restaurants and take ways, having had an enjoyable bed and breakfast in the score of little hotels and guest houses, or after a good night at the Custom's House which can be reached at the far end of this road through the pedestrianised shopping area, passing the linked metro and bus station and crossing Market Square and the road to Mill Dam, perhaps then going to one of the late opening bars or night clubs which are now concentrated half way between the river and the beach.

The road between the North and South Marine Parks is always a busy one as visitors by car and motorbike make their way to the beachside car parks, the amusement park, and the sea front restaurants. It is a popular area for young people to congregate regardless of the weather, or time of year.

2 North Marine Park
Bents Park
Bents Recreation Ground

Across Ocean Road is South Marine Park, which is undergoing a multi million make over, recreating its former Victorian originality, but with the latest features. This is also a park on a hill, with a wide walkway with flower beds on either side, commencing from the lower entrance gate climbing to its southern point, from where one can look down over the park and the coast. At the upper level there are statues which once adorned the front of the Town Hall, a water feature an a series of grassy steps and this is one of the areas of the park where improvements and changes are already underway.
At the lower level there is also an area of walks among flower beds and a small wood before the main area which is more popular with local families than the beach. There is a boating lake full of swans, about eighty at the last count, and a little train with circumnavigates. There is a small open air café where I have enjoyed an early morning bacon butty and coffee, but from midday on good weather days, it is rare to find a spare seat, especially since the government introduced the welcome smoking ban in all cafés, restaurants and bars.

A new feature of the park to south west of the lake is two large children's play areas to the latest standards of safety, one for the younger children and infants, and one for the older and more adventuresome. From here, sweeping up the slope to the top is a picnic area with suitable spaced picnic tables with integral seats. During what is becoming the annual Mouth of the Tyne Festival the park is given over to entertainments on stages and walkabouts.

Across the road is the third separate Bents parkland consisting of a large open space which in July is used for what has become a major regional event with four free concerts on Sunday afternoons, but with two stages, on both the Saturday and the Sunday of the Mouth of the Tyne festival. For this event the park, together with the area of Tynemouth Prior and Castle, is covered with large flags. While the Sunday afternoon concerts attract artists of the calibre of Cliff Richard, sixties bands such as the Animals and the latest X Factor idol such as Ben Mills, the Festival includes performers from around the world which this year included Maori group Te Masterae Kapa Haka, and from India, the Jaipur Kawa Contemporary Brass band, traditional jazz from Norway, from France the Les Snob Glissssendo and Les Osieaux de Lux, from Brazil Alumino Rootsa Reggae and from Holland or was it Germany the Jo Bithune Fanfare, a kind of thirties Oomph band with dancing and from Spain, La Tal. There was New Yorker singer songwriter, Dean Friedman and regarded as a leading contemporary jazz artist Courtney Pine although the local interest was with the legendry Lindisfarne hero Billy Mitchell and there was strong support for the Blockheads which were once fronted by Ian Dury. The space is sometimes used for exhibitions but for most of the year it is a public recreation area across from the main beach.

Screened by trees and shrubs there is fixed mobile home/ caravan site, with space for touring caravans, motor homes and tents. On the other side of this official site there is the Bents recreation space, an enormous flat open area used for a dozen football games on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with on its beachside space for over flow car parking which is taken up during the summer, particular when there are special events. Across the road at the far end of the Bents Recreation space there is the Gypsies Green Stadium and the beginning of the Leas.

The Gypsies Green stadium is where there is to be a new hotel and conference centre and where Her Majesty the Queen was guest of honour at an event to mark her 25th anniversary of succession.

1172 WOW QE2 but cruising?

They came from Durham, from Washington and Sunderland, from Gateshead, Hebburn and Jarrow and from all parts of South Shields. I had forgotten they were coming.

As I returned home from hospital for an evening meal and a washing, drying, ironing cycle to get underway, turning left from Ocean Rd into Lawe Road, I remembered why they had all come as the road way was full of cars ahead of me, coming in the opposite direction and parked on either side. The great Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 I was visiting the Tyne overnight on its 40th Anniversary Journey around the United Kingdom.

Now I must begin with a confession, I have never been into this cruise ship thing. I cannot see the point. I mean so much time spent at sea and all that food and then when you get anywhere it is such a great rush to see anything, and it is non stop extra costs if you do. But there is the romance of the great Atlantic crossings for the rich and the famous, and then there were the slave ships and the Titanic.

I was not best pleased by the great difficulty reaching my house and fortunately there was one parking space in my back lane. I unloaded and then taking my camera made my way along with a stream of other local residents and visitors across to the North Bents Park fairway where I could see over the heads of those standing on the hillside banking out beyond the piers to where the great ship was circling. There were tugs and ferry boats and other craft filling the water alongside the narrow entrance to the river and lots of bright red banners and school children holding red flags. It did not take long to work out that the problem was the fierce wind and the darkening clouds suggested that rain was shortly at hand. There was little point in waiting so I went back home.

First the washing and then an evening meal, two chicken breasts wrapped with bacon and cheese, breaking off after three quarters of hour when the local radio said that onlookers phoning in were saying the vessel was on the move again. I went out but this was a false alarm as it was making another circle along the coast.

I returned to watch England losing at cricket on the TV. I cannot remember what it was that made me look up through the window to the sky and notice it had lightened with smidgens of blue, and the wind appeared to have dropped a little. I grabbed my camera and heard the firework begin and could see the ship head on for the entrance between the piers. As it moved between the piers its horn was deep, long and powerful, the first of several blasts to make sure everyone in the town would know, and before it a special ship launched salvo after salvo of rockets and fire crackers to emphasise the point. . The once fastest and perhaps the greatest of the transatlantic liners was beginning the last cycle of farewell voyages before going on show in retirement at Dubai in 2009 as a floating hotel purchased by its government for 100 million dollars.
She was the Cunard flagship between 1969 and 2004 when succeeded by the Queen Mary.

She weighs over 70000 tons and is nearly 1000 feet in length 294 metres and has a top speed of 34 knots. Her height is over 154 feet over 50 metres. She take over 1750 passengers and over 100 officers and crew. Originally constructed for £29 million the company has spent over fifteen times this amount on refits. The Atlantic crossing was 4 days. 16 hours 35mins on the maiden voyage and Prince Charles the first civilian board on her voyage from the Clydebank shipyard to dry-dock at Greenock. In 1970 she made a record crossing in 3 days 20 hours and 42 mins.

When the ship attended the 25th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel Libyan President Gaddafi ordered an Egyptian submarine to torpedo the vessel but this was countermanded by Sadat.

In 1982 she transported 3000 troops and 600 volunteer drew to the Falklands, refitted at Southampton with three helicopter pads and the public lounges into dormitories.
In 1992 the hull was damaged as she ran aground off Cuttyhunk(?) Island Cape Cod

The ships has travelled more than another 13 times to the moon and back, completing 24 full world cruisers with over 2 million guests.

The 40th anniversary cruise of 8 nights was sold out commencing at 5 pm Saturday and was scheduled to arrive Newcastle at 4pm will depart at 6pm tomorrow, making for Edinburgh and then after cruising the North Sea to Glasgow on 20th where the ship had been built and then to Liverpool 21st the original official home of Cunard where on her previous visit it is estimated one million people viewed her arrival and departure. She arrives back at Southampton on 23rd. Fares started at £1000 to £12500 for a grand suite.

As someone who regular experiences the north sea ferries towering the river entrance on their entrances and exits twice a day the arrival of a large ship is no longer a novelty but one could not help being caught up with the excitement as this awe inspiring vessel entered the narrow river entrance and towered above us. Having reduced speed to enable the four tugs to edge it safely into mooring at North Tyneside it was possible to following its journey up the river and join the crowds who had remained with cars parked on every conceivable space and with all the windows of riverside homes filled with families and their friends. No one was complaining about the length of wait now although the local radio had been inundated with northern humour. It was a memorable WOW.

The local press and the TV gave prominence to the recent with special editions and interviews and this was a fitting moment for the Port of Tyne which covers facilities on both banks at South Shields/Jarrow and North Shields/Wallsend. So I am converted to the concept. Alas no. Take for example the sold out 15 night Mediterranean Odyssey in October 2008, where if you have a reasonable getting up and breakfast you have about 6 at the most 7 hours at Naples and Athens and three hours or so in a morning's stop at Gibraltar and there are only 9 places visited with five 24 hour periods at sea. And the costs. The cheapest single occupancy outside room is £5000 up to £11.500. But I am in a minority of opinion. The Carnival Line has 18 ships, Costa 11, Cunard 3, Fred Olsen 5 Hebridean 2, Holland 14, Island 2, MSC 9, Norwegian 14, Ocean2, Oceana 3. Orient 1, P and Q 6, Princess 18, Regent 4, Royal Caribbean 21, Seabourn 3, Sea Dream 2, Silversea 4, Spirit of Adventure1, Swan1, Thomson 4, Windstar 3, just under 150 vessels. You can share the experience with 6000 other passengers although the vessel is yet to make its first sailing and a three month round the world adventure will set you back from £50000, On one web site listing some 150 the largest cruise ships the majority were build in Finland France Italy and Germany, the UK half a dozen and surprisingly Japan 4 and the US 1. There are 35 under construction to commence sailing over the next 3 years and among the attractions on offer in addition to large theatres, cinemas, choice of a dozen restaurants and a dozen bars and pubs there will be a two storey library, nine hole golf course, a rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink, wedding chapel and of course internet data ports in every state room for Myspace surfing.

Postscript in 2002 there were 25 outbreaks of a virus in cruise ships affecting 2648 passengers, and in January of this year 17% of passengers on board the QE2 went sick.

I had hoped to relearn how to insert photos into Blogs but failed although I did manage to do so in a bulletin

1167 Jarrow Town Hall

The sun continues to shine, creating a warmth absent for most of the summer, so the inclination is to abandon plans and enjoy. I had some unease arising from a prior enquiry about my visit to Jarrow Town Hall but in fact the occasion proved memorable because of the contact re-established.

Jarrow was first created as a local authority only in 1875 by Queen Victoria, having been created a town by the decision of Charles Palmer to bring a shipyard and the workers from Ireland and Scotland to the banks of the Tyne. The first election was held on 10th August 1976 and Mr Palmer, having been elected to the South Ward become the first Mayor. Without St Paul's and the Monastery it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Jarrow would been renamed Palmerstown.

It was not until 1899 that the decision was taken to build a town hall and the foundation stone was then laid by ten Sir Charles Palmer MP in 1902 and the present building was completed in 1904 at a cost of £12000 The building is classical renaissance style finished with red terracotta and red brick. The main staircase is of marble with oak panelling. The Council chamber at the front of the building on the first floor is of fumed oak and red morocco and the stained glass windows were gifted by Lord Northbourne, Sir Charles Palmer and the Town Clerk. The building also housed the County Court reached by a separate entrance. The Town Hall Clock was only added in 1951 at a cost of £1000.

The building is present used by council department providing direct services to the public and by Councillors representing Jarrow wards and the Mid Tyne Parliamentary constituency. From 1974 the chain of office of the Jarrow Mayor has been worn by the deputy Mayor of South Tyneside. I did not make enquiries as to whether the resentment at losing separate municipal status along with Hebburn and the Boldens which also covered Whitburn and Cleadon as second tier authorities to Durham County Council has changed over time, but there is no question that the development of private housing will change the political complexion in the future, but hopefully not the outlook where political representatives are regarded by the public as servants to get things done or put right 365 days and nights a year.

After the visit and a cup of coffee there were more photos to be taken, having been reminded that the 65 town centre pubs had been reduced to half a dozen and then a visit to the Supermarket after a second and more leisurely look at the shopping centre which has a greater range of shops and stores including Woolworths and Wilkinson's, but not a McDonalds or similar, but at least one Italian bistro with one line of well used outside tables. The Old Ellison's has become a bingo centre and I did learn that the new Ellison's retains a male only room while the Community Centre has full stage performance facilities.

My anticipation that Morrison's would meet my food shopping needs better than that at Sunderland together with Azda near my home was more than justified and I had stayed up the previous evening ensuring that the freezer was defrosted and ready for restocking. The purchases were mixed between those designed for healthy eating and controlling weight to self indulgence. One love is stuffed shoulder of lamb which even when crisp has lots of edible fat. I have resisted for almost a year in which my weight has maintained at 16 stone and along way from the target of 14. Another is the kipper and a pair caught off the North East Coast would do for tea, as did an experiment of mussels. I have enjoyed the modest winkle since childhood but these like peanuts are best heavily salted and which has become taboo, but the mussel like the oyster has never appealed. They were the most expensive of fish buys and were OK but nothing special or justifying the price. Perhaps I will have a go at oysters, but not immediately. I did have a snack of some parcels of cream cheese with smoked salmon on crackers, also costing more than the kippers, trout bought fresh and frozen, or the lamb. Other buys which should have been resisted included chopped beef in a rich peppercorn sauce, one portion eaten for Saturday lunch, some chicken breasts wrapped in bacon and cheese and a penne bake in more rich sauce. There will have to be a lot more compensatory walking

There was an exciting afternoon before the television as the English cricket team bowled out India for under 200 runs and then after a shaky start in which two quick wickets were lost the match was won and I was able to set off to visit my mother for late afternoon and evening and the vital European finals qualifying game against Israel at Wembley. I was able to watch this at my mother's bedside and then during the evening meal for the patients after which they were prepared for the night, I moved to the day room where some patients and other relatives required to vacate wards enjoyed parts of the second half of a game which was won 3.0 with some great goals and several bad misses.

The evening was spent writing including a draft letter to the author of a New Work, play in progress.

1165 Jarrow and St Paul's

Three miles from the mouth of the Tyne at South Shields is the village green of Cleadon, and within a few minutes walk in any direction there is functioning agricultural land, and within a 15 minute walk you reach the Cleadon Hill nature reserve with its shell of a windmill and the former tower of the Cleadon Waterworks in enclosed wooded grounds which includes a number of dwellings converted into private dwellings

There has been a village at Cleadon for 1000 years, and there are a few older properties but the majority are post World Ward II To the south of the village there are exceptional properties valued between half a million of over one million pounds and the rest of the village is comprised of properties at above average value for the region. Cleadon is regarded as the best residential area south of the Tyne and there are no former local authority properties in he village to my knowledge. There are a few shops and stores and in addition to the pub restaurant there is one Italian Bistro which I visited when it was the French Blackboard. There used to be a post office and one is still listed in the Wikipedia internet encyclopaedia updated 11th August of this year. This contrasted with the queue waiting for the post office to open just along from the Town Hall on the main road to Sunderland. The population of the village was last estimated as 4500.

The most famous visitor resident to the village was Charles Dickens and he developed his character Miss Haversham in Great Expectations while staying at Cleadon House. Oliver Cromwell also stayed in the village and in recent times it has been the home of several professional footballers although the most well known sportsman visiting friends on a regular basis has been Frank Bruno. Other well known personalities do not advertise their presence.

It is therefore not surprising that my attempt to locate a Community Home with Education on the premises did not find many local supporters. The South Tyneside Council owns an important stretch of land to the east of the village with uninterrupted agricultural and open land to the coast a mile away. Originally there were two storey Cottage homes for children in care and these were then converted into homes for the elderly when national policy against large children's homes and villages changed with post war legislation in 1948 which created Children's Officers and Departments and an emphasises on small family group homes and foster parents. After 1948, a day centre for mentally handicapped adults was created by the Health Department and a school for Mentally Handicapped children. About the time social services departments were created the term mental handicap was not considered appropriate changed to mental disability and then to children and adults with severe learning difficulties. When after 1974 the local authority built three purpose designed single floor establishments for the elderly in South Shields the Oakleigh Gardens accommodation was closed and eventually demolished. Less than three decades later one of these establishments was closed and then demolished to make way for a new purpose designed health centre. While the centre for adults with learning difficulties was located in an attractive environment the facilities the range of activities was limited and tended to reinforce the attitude that these young adults were children. A purpose designed factory type unit was built in an area of similar premises in South Shields and the building also included leisure and full catering facilities. The intention of the Adult Training centre was to provide a grounding which would enable some trainees to graduate into employment with commercial enterprises. The Social Services department did make use of the Oakleigh Gardens site for a market gardening and garden furniture making for adults with learning difficulties during the 1980's. A public enquiry failed to establish the justification for the children's centre project given the availability of other sites in the local authority area.

I commenced my walking from the carpark adjacent to the Britannia Inn. The Inn has been reorganised and recently changed ownership from Beefeaters to a Toby Carvery. Thirty years ago the Inn attracted family parties throughout the year because tables were located in small Dickensian style room alcove complete with pictures and books. These were a great favourite among young children and a first choice for birthday celebrations. During the later 1980's early 1990's the rooms were demolished to create a traditional open plan restaurant with a popular fixed price three course lunch menu with a concessionary price for those over sixty.
Even more popular was the special bar menu where there was a choice of main course for an amazingly low price. The bar area was also attractive with a traditional fireplace and nooks and crannies. Since being taken over by Toby Inn. the former restaurant area has been transformed into a brightly decorated and warm dining area with floor to ceiling pictures. My reservation about the carvery is that the evening and weekend main course rate enables unlimited visits to the choice of roast meats and multiple vegetable selections which are available buffet style, and the extent to which plates are piled high has to be seen to be believed.

The Inn is opposite the busy main road from South Shields to Sunderland and overlooks flower beds and arrangements and the attractive village pong where one road leads to the village of Whitburn. The weather being uncertain I decided to take the car between the attractive Cottage Tavern Inn and the Esso Garage where for several decades I fuelled my car during journeys from work to home when not taking the coast road and then the road leading from the residential housing to the entrance of the special school and farming land to a stopping point adjacent to a stile which led onto the nature reserve and Windmill.

My walking stick was needed as the bank up this part of the hill was steep but the effort was most worthwhile as I soon had panoramic views across South Tyneside to Hebburn Gateshead and Newcastle (10 miles 16km), to the new town of Washington with its turbine wind mills and the Nissan car manufacturing plant, over looked by the Penshaw Hill donated by the Marquess of Londonderry for the building of a replica of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens built in 1844 and dedicated to the Earl of Durham who became the first British Governor of Canada Province. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level.

To the sea the view extends across the whole of Sunderland, five miles distant, with both piers to the river Wear and then along the coastline to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. However the view North is obstructed by a second high hill dominated by the former Cleaden Water company grounds with its tall imposing Tower and pumping station control buildings.

The windmill was extensively damaged during World War one when it was used for target practice by an artillery regiment. The present outer shell was restored about twenty years ago, but because of the previous damage it is unlikely to qualify for the kind of grants which enables nearby mills at Whitburn and Fullwell to be restored. I then walked down and up towards the second hill dominated by the Water Tower, built in Italianate style in 1863 by Thomas Hawksley it is along with Penshaw Monument, Sunderland, Grey's monument in Newcastle and the Angel of the North in Gateshead the most prominent and interesting of such buildings in the North East. The heavily wooded grounds are full of botanical interest and theatre was major fight locally when attempts were made by the owners of the land to develop part of the site included listed buildings also in the Italianate style for private housing, although a modified scheme was agreed and the area has a fortress appearance wall and secured gates.

I walked around the wall in an attempt to gain a view of South Shields and was confronted by a tall wire mesh fencing which reminded me of a World War 2 prison camp. In this instance it was put up the South Shields golf club following two incidents when stolen vehicles were driven to the area and set on fire , and there were also break-ins at the club. At one corner of the fencing there is a small gateway which appears to lead into dense flowering shrubs but venturing forward I quickly came to the edge of the golf course and a gravel path between the fence and masking shrubbery which enabled several photographs to be taken across the town and river to North Shields and Tynemouth, including one the ferries returning to its base.

I had reached this point taking the road way north until it became a track leading into Cleaden Park a large area of mixed housing, private and affluent the closest to Cleadon Village, and then an area of over 100 single storey properties designed for the elderly up a hill a miles away from the nearest shopping and therefore totally in appropriate with being able to drive and run a car. There is there older council and housing association properties with those closest to the main road opposite Temple Park most demolished to make way for an interesting new housing development. It is not surprising that when I made preliminary tour to find access points to the hills I encountered groups of young people trying to entertain themselves on the streets. Given the number of secluded pathways in the area it is not surprising that the thick high stone walls and tall fencing surrounds the private developments.

The most interesting aspect of this area is the extent of the greenland corridor from the Leas at Marsden to Souter Point, The Whitburn gold course, quarry and farms between the coast road and the parallel Lizard Lane, the agricultural land and South Shields golf course from the other side of Lizard Lane leading to the Cleadon Hills and agricultural land down Cleadon village and then across to the villages of Bolden with the Tilesheds nature reserve to the west and the in the north west the vast acres of Temple Park and the apicultural land to the South of Gateshead and the north of Washington. It is understandable the many are protecting all this land from alternative uses, although the reality remains that if the communities are to survive and prosper then thousands of additional jobs must be created and those in the leisure and tourist fields will not be sufficient. It is fortunate that there are several miles of riverside to be developed.

1164 Cleadon Village and Hills

Three miles from the mouth of the Tyne at South Shields is the village green of Cleadon, and within a few minutes walk in any direction there is functioning agricultural land, and within a 15 minute walk you reach the Cleadon Hill nature reserve with its shell of a windmill and the former tower of the Cleadon Waterworks in enclosed wooded grounds which includes a number of dwellings converted into private dwellings

There has been a village at Cleadon for 1000 years, and there are a few older properties but the majority are post World Ward II To the south of the village there are exceptional properties valued between half a million of over one million pounds and the rest of the village is comprised of properties at above average value for the region. Cleadon is regarded as the best residential area south of the Tyne and there are no former local authority properties in he village to my knowledge. There are a few shops and stores and in addition to the pub restaurant there is one Italian Bistro which I visited when it was the French Blackboard. There used to be a post office and one is still listed in the Wikipedia internet encyclopaedia updated 11th August of this year. This contrasted with the queue waiting for the post office to open just along from the Town Hall on the main road to Sunderland. The population of the village was last estimated as 4500.

The most famous visitor resident to the village was Charles Dickens and he developed his character Miss Haversham in Great Expectations while staying at Cleadon House. Oliver Cromwell also stayed in the village and in recent times it has been the home of several professional footballers although the most well known sportsman visiting friends on a regular basis has been Frank Bruno. Other well known personalities do not advertise their presence.

It is therefore not surprising that my attempt to locate a Community Home with Education on the premises did not find many local supporters. The South Tyneside Council owns an important stretch of land to the east of the village with uninterrupted agricultural and open land to the coast a mile away. Originally there were two storey Cottage homes for children in care and these were then converted into homes for the elderly when national policy against large children's homes and villages changed with post war legislation in 1948 which created Children's Officers and Departments and an emphasises on small family group homes and foster parents. After 1948, a day centre for mentally handicapped adults was created by the Health Department and a school for Mentally Handicapped children. About the time social services departments were created the term mental handicap was not considered appropriate changed to mental disability and then to children and adults with severe learning difficulties. When after 1974 the local authority built three purpose designed single floor establishments for the elderly in South Shields the Oakleigh Gardens accommodation was closed and eventually demolished. Less than three decades later one of these establishments was closed and then demolished to make way for a new purpose designed health centre. While the centre for adults with learning difficulties was located in an attractive environment the facilities the range of activities was limited and tended to reinforce the attitude that these young adults were children. A purpose designed factory type unit was built in an area of similar premises in South Shields and the building also included leisure and full catering facilities. The intention of the Adult Training centre was to provide a grounding which would enable some trainees to graduate into employment with commercial enterprises. The Social Services department did make use of the Oakleigh Gardens site for a market gardening and garden furniture making for adults with learning difficulties during the 1980's. A public enquiry failed to establish the justification for the children's centre project given the availability of other sites in the local authority area.

I commenced my walking from the carpark adjacent to the Britannia Inn. The Inn has been reorganised and recently changed ownership from Beefeaters to a Toby Carvery. Thirty years ago the Inn attracted family parties throughout the year because tables were located in small Dickensian style room alcove complete with pictures and books. These were a great favourite among young children and a first choice for birthday celebrations. During the later 1980's early 1990's the rooms were demolished to create a traditional open plan restaurant with a popular fixed price three course lunch menu with a concessionary price for those over sixty.
Even more popular was the special bar menu where there was a choice of main course for an amazingly low price. The bar area was also attractive with a traditional fireplace and nooks and crannies. Since being taken over by Toby Inn. the former restaurant area has been transformed into a brightly decorated and warm dining area with floor to ceiling pictures. My reservation about the carvery is that the evening and weekend main course rate enables unlimited visits to the choice of roast meats and multiple vegetable selections which are available buffet style, and the extent to which plates are piled high has to be seen to be believed.

The Inn is opposite the busy main road from South Shields to Sunderland and overlooks flower beds and arrangements and the attractive village pong where one road leads to the village of Whitburn. The weather being uncertain I decided to take the car between the attractive Cottage Tavern Inn and the Esso Garage where for several decades I fuelled my car during journeys from work to home when not taking the coast road and then the road leading from the residential housing to the entrance of the special school and farming land to a stopping point adjacent to a stile which led onto the nature reserve and Windmill.

My walking stick was needed as the bank up this part of the hill was steep but the effort was most worthwhile as I soon had panoramic views across South Tyneside to Hebburn Gateshead and Newcastle (10 miles 16km), to the new town of Washington with its turbine wind mills and the Nissan car manufacturing plant, over looked by the Penshaw Hill donated by the Marquess of Londonderry for the building of a replica of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens built in 1844 and dedicated to the Earl of Durham who became the first British Governor of Canada Province. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level.

To the sea the view extends across the whole of Sunderland, five miles distant, with both piers to the river Wear and then along the coastline to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. However the view North is obstructed by a second high hill dominated by the former Cleaden Water company grounds with its tall imposing Tower and pumping station control buildings.

The windmill was extensively damaged during World War one when it was used for target practice by an artillery regiment. The present outer shell was restored about twenty years ago, but because of the previous damage it is unlikely to qualify for the kind of grants which enables nearby mills at Whitburn and Fullwell to be restored. I then walked down and up towards the second hill dominated by the Water Tower, built in Italianate style in 1863 by Thomas Hawksley it is along with Penshaw Monument, Sunderland, Grey's monument in Newcastle and the Angel of the North in Gateshead the most prominent and interesting of such buildings in the North East. The heavily wooded grounds are full of botanical interest and theatre was major fight locally when attempts were made by the owners of the land to develop part of the site included listed buildings also in the Italianate style for private housing, although a modified scheme was agreed and the area has a fortress appearance wall and secured gates.

I walked around the wall in an attempt to gain a view of South Shields and was confronted by a tall wire mesh fencing which reminded me of a World War 2 prison camp. In this instance it was put up the South Shields golf club following two incidents when stolen vehicles were driven to the area and set on fire , and there were also break-ins at the club. At one corner of the fencing there is a small gateway which appears to lead into dense flowering shrubs but venturing forward I quickly came to the edge of the golf course and a gravel path between the fence and masking shrubbery which enabled several photographs to be taken across the town and river to North Shields and Tynemouth, including one the ferries returning to its base.

I had reached this point taking the road way north until it became a track leading into Cleaden Park a large area of mixed housing, private and affluent the closest to Cleadon Village, and then an area of over 100 single storey properties designed for the elderly up a hill a miles away from the nearest shopping and therefore totally in appropriate with being able to drive and run a car. There is there older council and housing association properties with those closest to the main road opposite Temple Park most demolished to make way for an interesting new housing development. It is not surprising that when I made preliminary tour to find access points to the hills I encountered groups of young people trying to entertain themselves on the streets. Given the number of secluded pathways in the area it is not surprising that the thick high stone walls and tall fencing surrounds the private developments.

The most interesting aspect of this area is the extent of the greenland corridor from the Leas at Marsden to Souter Point, The Whitburn gold course, quarry and farms between the coast road and the parallel Lizard Lane, the agricultural land and South Shields golf course from the other side of Lizard Lane leading to the Cleadon Hills and agricultural land down Cleadon village and then across to the villages of Bolden with the Tilesheds nature reserve to the west and the in the north west the vast acres of Temple Park and the apicultural land to the South of Gateshead and the north of Washington. It is understandable the many are protecting all this land from alternative uses, although the reality remains that if the communities are to survive and prosper then thousands of additional jobs must be created and those in the leisure and tourist fields will not be sufficient. It is fortunate that there are several miles of riverside to be developed.

1161 Riverside Morning South Shields and daily Chronicle

Usually when I sit down to write I know my purpose. The most basic level is to practice attempting to find a combination of words which will accurately communicate to someone else what I am thinking. It is only possible to establish the success or failure of doing this if someone else reads the words and indicates that their understanding is similar to my own. This creates the first problem because my understanding changes over time and this is only known to me or to others if I also publish every draft, both mental and written. The same process also applies to any other person who communicates in written words about what I have written. The process is simpler if the thought is emotionally neutral. If I write that 12 words are divided into 4 groups of 3 everyone reading the statement will have the same understanding once they have accepted the basics of number and division. It is not as simple when I ask the question : "what happens when I divide the number 4 by 3," because the factual answer 1.333 recurring does not directly communicate my intended purpose of raising the philosophical issue of what has happened to the missing portion of 4 as three times 1.333 is only 3.999 recurring? However it is still an emotionally neutral statement which requires a process of further thinking about to grasp.

Such writing is not intended to have an emotional reaction although it will have if for example a reader knows that some one else has previously written about the subject using the same or similar words and I have not made an appropriate attribution, or if the reader does not like me and therefore reacts whenever they encounter something that I have written. It is normal to react to what someone writes because we know of them and like them or we do not know them or like them. A reader is more likely to pay attention to writing which asks the question what happens when you divide 1 by 3,6, or 9 if they are interested in issues of number or philosophy or the use of language and I was able to add to the writing that I was a Doctor of Mathematics, Philosophy or Language or I had just won £50 million pounds in the European Lottery or the Big Brother House, become elected Prime Minister or engaged to be married to Prince Harry or William. Alas being none of such individuals no one will pay attention.

Sometimes when I sit down to write, I am a clear what it is I am trying to say but frequently I decide to concentrate on something very different because it is of greater interest to me or I realise that I have not thought enough or undertaken the research and that the effort required will take more time that I am willing to allocate because of other things I need or want to do. Today for example I had decided to start to write about the Jarrow Crusade for work, as I am in the process of reading the definitive work by Matt Perry of Sunderland University who published his work The Jarrow Crusade, Protest and Legend 2005, and which I purchased last year and decided to read as part of my walk to St Paul's and around the Jarrow town centre where I lived for six months when I first came to work in the North East in 1974. A week to day the Jarrow Town Hall will open its doors as part of Heritage weekend.

Now I will stop and lose my train of thought because there is the clearest of blue skies and ideal for walking. Yesterday it was similar but by the time I went out dark clouds emerged with a cold wind and I was at the hospital when it changed once more, and I wanted food, a rest and to experience the final moments of Big Brother House when for once I successfully predicated the order of departure, Jonty, Carole, Ziggy, Liam, the Twins and Brian the winner, although I hoped that Ziggy would be the first to depart of the seven.

Saturday 1st of September, the first day of Autumn and I set off midmorning with the intention to walk around Cleadon Village and its hill. I decided on a stop off at the town centre which involved investing 60p for a minute's walk go find that the bank was closed in order to check that a £20 note issued on August 17th is legal tender because if so it will be worth significant more because of nature of the potential mistakes rather than a fraudulent intentioned fake. Later I am told these are the new type £20 note and this is confirmed which I check on the internet.

It is not only sunny but warm I change my mind again and decided to try and work out what is planned for the Riverside development although I do not have the plan to hand. The area begins by the ferry landing which is opposite the Market square and former Town Hall building and where there is now an open space of grass and the beginnings of the proposed riverside embankment which presently ends outside the Customs House Entertainment and Arts Project at Mill Dam. The first question is to find out what is proposed for here? Restaurant bars, artist studios and workshops or the present open vista across and along the river in both directions?

Then them there is the important roundabout first with the Riverside Pub at the head of the road down to Mill Dam and then two roads with rub westward parallel to the river coming to an apex at the roundabout where once the La Strada night club stood but now a humorous work of contemporary art. There is also a road at right angles to the river parallel to market square and the King Street shopping centre which runs to a development of new upmarket brand stores

I first take the Commercial Road and stop the car in a side road leading down to the riverside. I have passed the new Law Courts on my left covering both Magistrates and County Courts. There is also the rear of the new police headquarters with its entrance off Station Road where there is a B and Q store, a Nationwide AA garage part of a retail store selling everything you may need for the car or bicycle. Across from this is remains of St Hilda's Pit as a tourist attraction, small business units and a couple of larger household stores. There are substantial sites in this quarter of a mile, half mile area without direct access to the riverside although close to the McNulty Yard at Middle Dock there is a small grassed area with a close up of the drilling platform to the left and of two North Sea Ferries across the river. Tuck away close to the river among dereliction and site clearance is an very attractive public house restaurant the Rose and Crown, a little away long the forlorn deserted Commercial hotel and then at an apex junction leading to the Port of Tyne Dock and Jarrow slake there is the attractively modern Trimmers Arms with its Lobster restaurant and across the way the more traditional looking Dolly Arms. It is presently difficult envisage how this will look in five to ten years time.

There is a second roundabout at the inland Station Rd junction Crossgates which leads directly to the splendid Victoria Town Hall which I first encountered in the late autumn of 1973, a lifetime before and the long Western Approach which marks the Eastern boundary to the development plan area. Along the first part to the next roundabout at Laygate there are blocks of flats which reflect the continuing sad facts of local life that over three decades the local authority has overall failed to progress from having the greatest level of unemployment and urban deprivation. Twelve of twenty of the local government wards are among the most deprived nationally with the second highest unemployment rate of 9%, and where there significantly fewer economically active adults 20-34 than the national average and significantly more older people 64-84.Mortality from circulatory diseases is 65% higher than in Europe and 30% above the UK average. Teenage pregnancy rates are 50% higher than the national average and there is below average educational attainment.

The situation which the borough continues to face is summed up in the area of my second walk after parking my car near the modern pharmacy health centre between the Western Approach and Frederick Street. In 1974 Frederick was a thriving shopping street which served local needs but which also had a range of specialist enterprises. Now only half the 100 premises continue to function with the majority at the southern end not only closed but showing quickening decay. At the Northern end is Laygate with what was then an attractive street, and a half, of colourful post-war shops with flats above. One side of street is being demolished to make way for a new supermarket development. Opposite this is Ahmed's international store which equals anything you will find anywhere for range of groceries, especially spices. However near by is a Public House where several decades ago I ventured and heard talk which suggested extreme right wing leanings with a short distance away a National Unionist Club and then the South Shields Mosque where Mohamed Ali held a marriage ceremony within a couple of days of the Queen's Silver Jubilee visit held at Gypsies Green and which is now to become a major hotel and conference centre. In between there is Laygate Assessment centre. Originally a traditional day nursery there centre has been developed over the years to provide an importance local resource for children and their families. Together with the Law Top area and Ocean Road the area is home to the small well established ethnic minority community although this has been significant increasing over recent years with the enlargement of the European Community and the expansion of the Marine, general technology and education College with its two centres in Shields and Hebburn.

Parallel and running almost half the length of Frederick Street is a large factory unit now deserted. This used to part of the Plessey empire, and then Viasystems and then the Electronics firm Circatex. There were some 750 jobs here five years ago, and 650 a year later. There were less than 200 with a management buy out from the Administrator three years ago. All is not gloom and doom however because next to the closed factory is an estate of manufacturing and other business which includes a substantial modern looking factory producing Asian frozen foods. Tucked away within the estate is an adult training centre for adults with learning difficulties intentionally located in an area where it was hoped there would be possibilities for some to transfer into more commercial enterprises. The move of this centre from the outskirts of Cleadon Village with open views of the Cleadon Hill will be covered as part of my walk around the village to hill overlooking Temple park to the west and the coast at Marsden and Whitburn to the east. Meanwhile I barely wait until next week to re-examine the ambitious riverside development plan with its3400 additional jobs and 2000 training places with 400 business enterprises.

I returned for a prawn salad before going to visit my mother in the hospital for the afternoon. She was asleep for the three hours of the visit so I was able to listen to Newcastle managing to miss a hatful of easy goals against the ten men of Wigan, although the curse was lifted when after nearly six months of failing to score a goal at home, Michael Owen was able to do so within seconds of the full time whistle. I was then able to return to watch the warm reception with Roy Keane received from over 70000 Manchester united supporters as he brought his Sunderland team to the city. Sunderland looked as good as they had in the first match of the season when they beat Spurs at home, which is just as well as he further signings brought his total of spending to £40 million in one year and to the purchase of dozens of players to gain promotion and to now survive in the Premier League. This time the team gave away a goal at the end of the match, but by the time of the next home game after the break for international Euro cup matches over the next fortnight, I am confident he will have created a survival force.

1160 South Shields Riverside

Awake 8am following interesting dreams arising from my walk around Old Sunderland Riverside and docklands area. Mist was in and only commenced to break up around 10 and by then decision to make this a work day.

Great news as an email advises that Don McLean who sings Vincent on Myspace is to appear at the City Hall Newcastle Thursday 11th October and I have booked a ticket in the central balcony at a total fee of £32.50. I will not moan at the cost of concert tickets these days, for once.

Further thoughts on 2007 Northern Rivera Project and decision to transfer and reorganise photos into major folder Northern Rivera with sub folders of Sunderland River Mouth, Sunderland Seaburn and Roker, Whitburn, South Shields Coast and Inland and River Tyne to Jarrow, This has been accomplished by 10 am except for Seaburn Seas, Skies, the airshow weekend photos. Trips planned South Shields down to Hotel to Customs House. Customs House to St Paul's, St Paul's Bede World and Jarrow. Cleadon Hill and Village, Fullwell Mill.

Introduction to include key photo of St Peters and St Paul, Wearmouth Bridge, Tynemouth Castle and Priory, Marsden Grotto, Souter Point Lighthouse, sweep of Bays at Shields and Seaburn. Need to think more on this for 10-12 photos have places now for Jarrow Town Hall Heritage weekend Sat 10.30 and Theatre Royal Friday at 9am.
Could not book Vie en rose Tyneside film theatre box office not open until afternoon evening. Do tonight on return from Hospital. Visit next week Sunderland Bourne film and Empire Visit re Heritage Day. Arranged later 7.55 Sunday September 2nd. Remember to claim over 60 concession ticket.

Will do shop by car beforehand say 1pm. (Cereal Salad Milk Cherries for weekend - work freezer clear means two Pizza's pork chops Fish, need some prawns. Change of plan as the sun breaks out and I cannot resist going for a walk. Go to Supermarket after hospital visit. 2 Litres Asda water for 19p, They are out of milk. Change of plan for evening meal have a prepared stir fry. Beef, onions, peppers, noodles and sauce. Takes 14 minutes and provides oversize helping for one at £3 special offer. Buy two fresh pineapples which together with cherries bought from market earlier in the day and bananas purchased previously will provide fruit for the weekend. Pay Credit card and order some cinema tickets with points accumulated.

Last night's programme on small French village properties Burgundy Region 2-3 bed with ground £75000 raised once more the issue of major change after Mabel without achieving major capital/income injection age health and other issues dream dreams unfulfilled. I am pleased that others will however be having the experience. My two weeks was just a taster. It is amazing that it happened over 15 years ago

Big Brother House enters its last week. Individuals continue to surprise with creativity and greater depth. Last night two task organiser were made to participate in a couple of their ideas) has my suggestion of an insiders programme taken some root? There have been some magic moments for the group over the past two weeks which have been shared with anyone with the time and inclination to participate. I am reminded of the week to ten days I spent at Oxford with a group of friends from Ruskin college after the courses had been completed and we waited for the results to be posted outside the Examination Schools and where we did all the things which Oxford is famed for from punting to a picnic at Blenheim Palace, meals and drinks and chat into the night, speculating on our individual futures and the changes we would make to the world. The experience was irreplaceable and unrepeatable .

I also share the reservation expressed by other about Ziggy and it would be disappointing if be won the event. The public has generally been right about who to evict in that there is only one individual; who I would have preferred to have remained, Gerry, replacing Ziggy.

After an early lunch I took the car to the Little Haven Hotel where it looked as if an all female association was having a lunch in the promenade restaurant. A two or three course is reasonable priced and there is a two or three night special rate which works out around £40 a night BB but is per person. On the river side at the junction with the river mouth beachside there is an ornate metal work bench on its own with a plaque explaining that it is for John who loved to watch the river from his family who watched he river with him. I sat and thought of John and of his family who had provide the facility. Later in the evening I received an email announcing that a former work colleague had been called by his Lord. He was a man of life long public service through his professional work for local government, as a lay preacher and through a political commitment to social justice. I was able to walk around the yacht club slipway noting that the tide was exceptionally low as it had been at the Wear yesterday, on to the promenade around the riverside development where once oil storage tanks dominated the skyline. I had also take more photos of the telly tubby men and women, but forgot to count and note their number about fifteen I think.

I then moved the car, and me, to housing development around the two former small dock inlet west of the ferry terminal to take a close up photo of a sea siren embracing a golden galleon. The roadway now divides the two inlets, creating enclosed rectangular areas of water and in the second, across from where I had parked my car there are now seven model galleons made from steel several feel in both length and height. It was an exciting artwork discovery in the midst of a private housing development where fee travellers venture unless they are residents or visiting residents.

I then was able to walk along the riverbank to the customs house taking photographs as the clouds turned to grey. In the car park at the back of the Customs House project there are also about fifteen white metal sculptures fixed on the high wall avoiding graffiti. There are ships, a crane, an anchor and a navigation wheel. However the amusing sculpture work is nearby on the site of the former La Strada nightclub. What I do not understand from having one visited the club is the limited area of the present site, given that there was the dance floor and bar and a small office area in one corner where I spent most of my time keeping clear of the action, surviving on soft drinks because I was not only driving but was needed as a chauffer. Now there are raised beds of flowers where once were the outer walls of the club , The art work consists of five ten foot or so posts, with bar height round tables on which are glasses, bottles, mobile phones, a hand bags.

Having written about the two ancient churches and monasteries of St Peters and St Paul, mention should also be made of St Hilda's off market Square and the old Town Hall building at its centre. The church is also over 1000 years of age, founded in in 647 AD. The surrounding buildings are unattractive post war structures reminders of the extent of bombing. Earlier by the Custom's house project I had stood in remembrance of the statue to merchant navy men unveiled by Lady Mountbatten in 1990. Thousands who sailed from the Tyne during the second world war perished, with the largest number of deaths from any town or city coming from South Shields. There is a terrace of ancient pubs leading to the Customs House including the Waterfront and the Steamboat, and then a terrace crescent of restored buildings commencing with the Mission to Seafarers building which includes the Flying Angel bar, and a former church no converted into flats.

In the High Street there was a new entertainer, a traditional one man band with a drum and symbol on his back played by a foot, a banjo and mouth organ and playing and singing something which sounded Cajun New Orleans and which brought a great smile to many a face because of past memories, and he was good and great fun. Somehow even the leaden sky above started to smile again and the sun strengthened and it stayed warm for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day, a day, tomorrow has already arrived.