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.
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.
