2308 Morning Tynemouth and look ahead to Mouth of River Festival

1. Wednesday June 21st 2012 was a glorious day with the sun shining from shortly after the dawn until dusk. It was not a day to working at a desk whereas Thursday from mid morning the skies darkened and it has rained solidly until early evening. Knowing the weather forecast for the rest of the month I was determined to enjoy the sunshine and shortly before 10 am set off for the ferry across the Tyne to North Shields taking my over shoulder rucksack with me. I was well on my way down the hill towards the station before realising that I had not brought a notebook with me and having long lost not one but two hand voice recorders in previous years I hesitated but then decided to continue and trust to memory anything which I would otherwise had made an immediate record. Other than taking the decision to cross the Tyne I had no plan although I did have in mind the need for more black display folders for the top copy printing of the Google Blogs.
   
   There was about a dozen waiting with the ferry still berthed on the other bank of the river and about twenty individuals alighted and a similar number boarded when it arrived. I found a copy of Metro which I flicked though with nothing engaging my attention and seated myself outside at the rear with the diesel fumes filling my nostrils on what was forecast as a high pollen morning.
   
   A large area in terms of  the north bank, in length and width, has now been cleared of buildings and other workings in preparation for major development similar to here in South Shields passed the Customs House entertainment centre and  along until Tyne Dock and the Port of Tyne. I suspect it will be years before the finance is amassed to commence the building projects, On reaching the roadway from the landing stage I immediately saw that the new bus turning circle and  bus stop was finished with the road started from beyond the gates which marked the commencement of the development area project. Clearly whatever the intentions for the development the buses would continue to time their arrival with that of the Ferry and then turn round. I went over to the stop with its new shelter and  public toilet facilities only to note that the other passengers divided between going to this stop and staying where the old stop use to be just across the road from the entrance to the Ferry landing. This was because the white 333 bus came and deposited passengers by the landing and then turned the circle to stop here. It was going to the Park Hotel at Tynemouth so instead of the decision to walk to the Fish Quay and perhaps along the river bank to Tynemouth I took this bus. I was not in the mood for a long walk  such as from the Fish Quay along the river bank to the Tynemouth pier which matched that on the other side of the Tyne at South Shields.
   
   The bus is provided by Pheonix Coaches who  only appear to operate this service and about which I can find nothing or published timetables except a note that it operates the service weekdays daytime. From the turning circle the bus went along to the Fish Quay to the turning circle there where the promenade walking commences along the river bank and on the way I noted a restaurant offering a three course meal for £3.98 which is the best value seen advertised for many a day and I would have investigated later had a three course meals been on my agenda.
   
   The bus then climbed the bank to the North Tyneside shopping area and instead of turning right towards Tynemouth it went left following the one way system to the mini bus station and then instead of going the familiar route parallel to the river bank the bus went inland though pleasant middle class homelands until the Park Hotel which is an isolated position on the coast road close to Seaworld and Tyneside Park with Tynemouth Longsand below.
   
   The Park Hotel is regarded as a Northeast flagship hotel Art Deco in style with rooms from £60 to £90 a night for a double with full sea view. I had only been to this part of the north bank sea coast a few times before, the latest four to five years ago having taken the Metro to Whitey Bay and then stopping off the Coast liner bus to  visit  St George’s Church. I had then taken the bus to Tynemouth. This time I walked on the grass overlooking the Sands, continuing past the Rocky headland which separates the Sands and King Edward Bay.
   
   The coastal areas either side of the Tyne have more in common with Cornwall than the southern beach resorts I had visited the previous week although the perspective and feel of the coast between Tynemouth and Whitely Bay and between South Shields and Seaburn beach Sunderland is very different. One is still trade union labour working class and the other Tory middle class and this is how the voting works out in local and national elections when the battle remains between the two national parties, North Tyne going briefly Tory. Interestingly the Lib Dems only making inroads and taking Newcastle for a time. 
   
   Similar to the coast road between Roker and the River Wear in Sunderland the beaches between Cullercoats and Tynemouth Priory are  a long way down below so that from the grass bank at road side pavement one has extensive views towards Whitely Bay and to the ruins of the 7th Century Castle and 11th century Benedictine Priory.  While some had made it down to the sands there were acres of space to sit or walk without other humans in view if one wished.
   
   The Longsands is regarded as one of the top Surfing beaches in the UK with national events held annually. On the other side of the road is the impressive Tynemouth Park with a pedalo boating lake, a 9 or 18 whole adventure mini golf course populated by lifelike dinosaurs and the largest outdoor synthetic ice skating rink in the UK. There is a licenced restaurants overlooking the three featured areas so that the grown ups can relax while keeping an eye on the youngest participating in activities if they wish.
   
   There is a fine semi circle three or four storey Georgian Terrace before reaching the Gibraltar Rock Pub which I visited over the past five years for the annual Mouth of Tyne Festival as traditional Jazz and swing bands play on the outside stage in the adjacent gardens on both afternoons.  Before then I had passed the Grand Hotel Tynemouth where I had attended the first meeting of the Association of Directors of Social Services after the 1974 local government reorganisation and the displaced Director for Tynemouth was the host, He was retiring after failing to gain the post for the new local authority of North Tyneside. I had speculated if the Director at South Shields would be attending. He stayed away while the new man coming from outside to North Tyneside had not yet arrived. The extraordinary Brian Roycroft from Newcastle acted as a kind of crown Prince. I have moved on from the years when I speculated if what was said about him was true.
   
   Of interest now was whether there is to be another Mouth of the Tyne Festival with Jazz bands playing outside the Gibraltar Pub. I checked online later and learned the Festival is flourishing and expanded on this bank of the Tyne with South Shields opting out and holding one of the free concerts with Scouting for Girls in Bents Park on the Sunday afternoon. There is to be a parade on the Saturday as part of the Family Fun weekend, the weekend before when full use will be made of the performance areas along the new boardwalk.
   
   The Mouth of the River event at Tynemouth has been expanded to make full use of the vast undercover area at Tynemouth station and I will head here for at least one day given the range of cultural events with have been posted including Flamenco, Jazz, a Choir and the Sage Academy of Performing Arts a steel band and other local performers.
   The jazz sessions are also continuing with six instead of four sessions each day but with bands playing two sessions each day, providing the opportunity to visit and participate in the full range of streets events and performance which will take place along the wide Grand Parade normally used for park cars.
   
   The other change is that instead of free concerts on the main stage by the Priory on the Sunday afternoon there will be a charge of £10 for adults and £5 for children in addition to holding to major band concerts at £25 a ticket on the Friday and Saturday evenings with McFly and Wanted. The Undertones are also at the Whitely Bay Playhouse on the Thursday. I wonder if they will also have the firework display which used end the event at South Shields.
   
   On Wednesday there was no concern about the weather which has badly affected the Mouth of the Tyne event in the past, with the pavements cafes were full of people enjoying midmorning coffee with toast/teacakes and such like. I was very tempted but resisted. I took the Coastliner bus  back to North Tyneside shopping centre going though the rear of the Beacon centre to Wilkinson’s Store to see if they had the black display folders. There was major reorganisation of their stationery and related supplies with little on view. I hoped for better in South Shields on the return journey. The Coastliner bus goes from Gateshead and the Newcastle Bus stations via Biker and Wallsend to North Shields, Tynemouth, Cullercoats and then Whitely Bay. This service can take 90 minutes plus given the route goes through the heart of Newcastle over the Tyne Bridge.
   
   I was feeling peckish although it was only 11.30ish and looked in at the nearest bakery where unfortunately the £1 cheese and pickle baguettes had already sold out and I did not fancy the egg and tomato. I checked out the buses to see if there was one for the Ferry, suspecting that the stop for the 333 would be the same as for the 19 service which goes from the Ferry to the  town centre and then on to Silverlink and Cramlington, a journey of an hour before   going back into the town centre. I checked out the Asda store suspecting that it was too small to have a good range of stationery items similar to those at Shields or Bolden. Before reaching the store I passed a greasy spoon cafe called the Cottage which offers an all day Breakfast of Bacon, Egg, Sausage, Mushroom Tomato and Beans, plus pot of tea or coffee and slice of toast for £2.20 or with double helpings £3.20/40. The amazing value ever. Pity about my dieting and I was greatly tempted.
   
   I took the upper deck on the homeward ferry having confirmed that the 19 and 333 buses left from close to North Shields Metro station. At the North Tyne stop the bus was approached by two women who wanted to know if the bus went to the coast/beach  and the driver sent them into town centre, It was not clear if they wanted the beach on the Fish Quay but they had departed before I was able to intervene. It occurred that if strangers to the area they had confused North and South Shields. Outsiders can think that because of the common name both communities are at the mouth of the River and therefore have coastal beaches. There is a good beach at North Tyneside in the mouth of the River as there is in South Shields but the coastal beach is at Tyne mouth a good couple of miles further along the riverside. I will never know if they found what they wanted and where.
   
   When a group including an inquiring middle aged woman and a man with a walking disability inquired puzzled when the ferry ended its journey across the river I responded. She had come with her parent’s years before when they had stayed as now at Whitely Bay. Now she did not recognise the location. This is because the new Ferry Landing has been created with the buildings demolished creating a grassed bank between here and the Customs House. I explained that the huge contemporary glass and panel building was a new 400 staff BT centre and the church looking buildings on the  frontage by the new yuppie housing in the former  east docks was also a call centre with the housing and the boardwalk and its sculptures replacing the east docks. No sooner they were on their way after telling them about the £3 million spent recreating the original Victorian South Marine Park did a young Asian young clutching a map wanted to know the location of the Metro station. I escorted across the road into Market Square pointing to the trees with the track above the High Street beyond before going to Wilkinson’s where yet again a major reorganisation and restocking of the stationery area was taking place.
   
   Fortunately they had 7 of the required display volumes at £1.40 an item. The nearest bakery also had several Cheese and Pickle baguettes and I enjoyed one on a bench seat close to W H Smiths. I purchased two ready bagged half pounds of cherries (£2 in total).  I walked back via the Morrison escalators arriving after one. It had been a good outing and I perspired during the walking but I needed two or three such outings a week to begin to have some effect.
   
   It stopped raining but the roofs remained watery. Next I will begin write about recent sport with England cricket one day games against the West Indies with the third game tomorrow at Headingley although the weather forecast is poor. Ireland play Australia on Saturday and there is a 20 20 against the West Indies on Sunday afternoon. The 20 20 season is now fully underway with Durham‘s game against Derby on the TV last night and a home game last Tuesday evening, Yorkshire also at home tomorrow, and away to Lancs on Monday.
   
   I have been watching Ascot every afternoon including the amazing horse Frankel. The Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix is from Valencia this weekend. I am half watching Portugal play the Czech Republic in the first Quarter Final of Euro 2012 while of greater interest is the match between Germany and Greece tomorrow evening, then Spain and France on Saturday evening followed by England against Italy on Sunday.
   
   However I will have a choice to make as Sky and the Arts channel have three evenings at the Island of Wight Festival in 3D from 6pm until 11pm. The opening day of Wimbledon is on Monday with Murray also setting his sights on the Olympic competition. I will use both working TVs and the recoding button to try and capture the best of everything. There will be a  lot to write about. I achieved  over 9 hours sleep using the  Apnea Treatment machine last night and feel good.