1647 South Marine development walkabout

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

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

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

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

To the South of the Park, the areas of safe play with two age levels became fully operational during the summer and has continued to be well used throughout the winter except on the coldest and wettest of days with over a thousand children participating every week.

The new tea room will have a much larger outside seating area in the future which will mean better opportunity to enjoy a seat for a cup of tea, coffee and a bacon roll from the now demolished kiosk and where I was only able to enjoy by getting up and down before 11 am on summer days. On making my way towards my second mission for the outing I noticed that the decision has been taken to construct fine mesh inner fencing a few feet inside the railings along the main coast road and the reason for this was evident a few metres on as between the railways and the new mesh fencing was a used carton for fish and chips and then further along a can

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1255 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.

1247 Y Tu Maria Tambien, Goodbye Paradise and Fredericke Street South Shields

A good title for this piece is fishy tales of Fredricke Street. When I arrived to work in South Shields Fredericke Street 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.

1161 Riverside Morning South Shields

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.