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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
.
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.