Best of North East
Plans for STACK Whitley Bay unveiled for former Empress Ballroom
A landmark Tyneside venue is set for a new lease of life as a STACK drinking and dining destination if new planning proposals are given the green light.
Newcastle leisure company Danieli Group has submitted plans to create a new STACK development in the former Empress Ballroom in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, which was originally part of the town’s Spanish City. If successful, the business hopes to return the 113-year-old building to its former position at the forefront of the seaside town’s entertainment scene.
Built in 1910, the Empress Ballroom regularly hosted more than 750 dancers before going on to become the Carlton Club bingo hall. It has lain empty for some time and fallen into disrepair – yet the Stack submission would deliver a new future for the building while also injecting a boost to the local economy.
Plans by current owner Mark Holmes to transform it into a leisure and community venue were delayed by Covid and now, although planning permission for a leisure venue is in place, Danieli Group has applied for a variation of the plans to create Stack Whitley Bay. The plans, to be submitted this week, include the creation of an external roof terrace together with the premises licence application. If successful the hope is to continue along the same route as other successful STACK sites, with the inclusion of a stage for live entertainment and space for street food and drink outlets.
Neill Winch, CEO of the Danieli Group, believes STACK would be a great addition to the town. He said: “Not only will it bring a new dimension to the existing leisure offering but, subject to planning and licensing, it will bring an underutilised building – and much-loved heritage asset – back into use. We are delighted to hopefully be able to continue to build STACK’s strong presence in the North East with this new and exciting venture.”
Owner Mark Holmes added: “When we bought the Empress Ballroom, we had a vision for the magnificent venue, it’s really a hidden treasure in the Spanish City. Our plans were good, but now Neill Winch and STACK have turbo charged these plans and I am convinced they will deliver the quality venue that will benefit Whitley Bay, residents, and the whole community.”
If the application is successful, Whitley Bay will become the latest in a fast-growing portfolio of STACKS being created in the North East and beyond. A year after the closure of its original STACK Newcastle on the site of the former Odeon Cinema, Seaburn in Sunderland continues to go from strength to strength, while developments in Durham, Middlesbrough, Bishop Auckland, Carlisle and a new site in Newcastle city centre are also being created.
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Best of North East
Zip Line from the Tyne Bridge – Here is what to expect! Newcastle Upon Tyne Things to do
NE1 has teamed up with Zip Wire organisers, Jelly Legs to provide the media with the chance to zip wire from the Tyne Bridge to enjoy the experience that the public can book as part of NE1’s Summer in the City events programme.
This is the second summer that people can experience the thrill and excitement of zip wiring off the Tyne Bridge, and seeing the river, and its bridges from a completely different perspective as they glide onto the Quayside.
Watch the video of our YouTube team trying it out and exactly what to expect…
Bookings for this adrenaline-fuelled activity can be made via NE1’s Get into Newcastle website for 3 weekends this summer:
- August 18th and 19th – 9 am – 6 pm
- August 25th and 26th – 9 am – 6 pm
- September 1st and 2nd – 9 am – 6 pm
Zip wiring costs £35-40 per person, the only activity within NE1’s Summer in the City events programme that costs.
More than 180 other free classes and activities have been organised throughout the six-week summer holidays, with over 16 free movies each week at NE1’s Screen on the Green, the open-air movie theatre in Old Eldon Square.
NE1’s Summer in the City activity programme draws to a close on Sunday 3rd September in time for the schools to return in the Autumn.
See our video from last year…
Follow our YouTube for some big local videos and to support us!
You can now download our FREE new app to stay fully up to date with all North East related news – https://linktr.ee/northeastupdates
A hairstylist from Newcastle, has been selected as a finalist for a prestigious award in the hair and beauty industry, despite being only 19-years-old.
Jude Taylor, aged 19, is up for Hairstylist of the Year and hopes to bring home the award to the North East.
After finishing school, Jude Taylor began his career as a hairdresser by working in a small salon in Sunderland.
However, he then secured an apprenticeship at The Junkyard Studios, which is on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle. Telling Newcastle World, Jude said: “The Junkyard Studios did the type of hairdressing I wanted to be doing, such as bright colours and creative haircuts.”
Jude began and successfully completed his apprenticeship, which mainly consisted of in-house training, alongside one day a week at college.
Jude is also proud to work at the award-winning salon, The Junkyard Studios given the inclusivity of their business, he explained: “We are probably the most inclusive salon in Newcastle. We don’t have any gendered price lists, and everyone is welcome.”
Jude loves to give people huge colour transformations, but he says his favourite thing about his job is making clients feel confident. He said: “Seeing the confidence you give people once you’ve done their hair, you can see the boost it gives them.”
A big awards ceremony will be held in Birmingham, and Jude is looking forward to the event, bringing along one of his hair models, who featured in his collection of images submitted to the competition, to the glamorous event.
Jude has previously been selected in the Top 10 for the awards as an apprentice, but now he has fully qualified, he decided to enter “the big one”.
Jude said: “It’s surreal to be selected! I never thought I’d be picked. It’s quite exciting. It would be amazing to win, and bring back the award to the North East.”
After a hugely impressive January event which showed off the best of Tyneside’s city centre food and drink offerings, Newcastle Restaurant Week is back this summer with another few days of amazing chances to try new eateries across the city.
January’s event attracted over 58,000 diners and generated over £1 million for participating restaurants. Organisers claim the aim is for this year’s events to surpass the record-breaking achievements of the previous two events in August 2022 and January 2023, which boosted the city’s restaurant industry and local economy by over £1.8 million.
This summer’s Restaurant Week falls between Monday, August 7 and Sunday, August 13 where diners will be able to enjoy meals all week for only £10, £15 or £20 per person across over 100 sites in Newcastle.
The city’s top restaurants are signed up to take part in August’s event alongside newcomers Gaucho and Trap Food House, as well as the welcome return of Newcastle favourites St Vincent and The French Quarter which return to the event’s roster this time around.
In order to recieve the deals foodies must head to the Get Into Newcastle website and find the deal they want, before confirming it online. This can be done as many times as you want.
The full list of participating restaurants is as follows:
- 21 – Two courses for £20
- 3Sixty – Two courses for £20
- As You Like It – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Aveika – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Ayla – Two courses for £20
- Babucho – Two courses for £20
- Barluga – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Bella Italia – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Blackfriars – £20 food deal
- 21 at Fenwick – £15 and £20 food deals
- Cafe Andaluz – £15 and £20 food deals
- Castro’s – £15 food deal
- ChachaBuchi – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Chaophraya – Three courses for £20
- Chart House – Two courses for £20
- Chiquito – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- City Tavern – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Colonel Porter’s Emporium – £10 and £15 food offers
- Coop Chicken House – £10 and £15 food offers
- Copthorne Hotel – Two courses for £15
- Cote Brasserie – Three courses for £20
- Dabbawal – Three courses for £20
- Dobson and Parnell – £20 food offers
- El Coto – £15 food offers
- El Torero – £15 and £20 food offers
- Empire Restaurant – Two courses for £20
- Fat Hippo – £15 food offer
- FED’s Chicken Shop – £10 and £15 food offers
- Frankie and Benny’s – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Fuego – £15 and £20 food offers
- Gaucho – Three courses for £20
- Gino D’Acampo Quayside – Two courses for £20
- Grain and Grill – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Gusto – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Hard Rock Cafe – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Harry’s Bar and Brasserie – Two courses for £20
- Hen and Hops – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Hibou Blanc – Two courses for £20
- Horticulture – £15 food offer
- Hotel Du Vin – Two courses for £20
- I Scream For Pizza – £10, £15 and £20 offers
- Kafeneon – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Kaltur – £20 food offer at both sites
- Khai Khai – £20 food offer
- Las Iguanas – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Leila Lily’s – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Liberty House – £10, £15 and £20 offers
- Lola Jeans – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Louie’s Liquor Store – £15 offer
- Lui’s – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Malmaison – Two courses for £20
- Mantra Thai Dining – Two courses for £20
- Marco Polo – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Mason and Rye – £10 food offer
- Meat:Stack – £10, £15 and £20 offers
- Miller and Carter – Two courses for £20
- Missy Milieu’s Bar and Bistro – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- My Delhi – £10 and £15 offers
- Nudo – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Pacific House – £15 food offer
- Pepo – £10 and £15 food offers
- Persia – Three courses for £15
- Pitcher and Piano – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Pizza Punks – £15 food offer
- Porterhouse Butcher and Grill – Two courses for £20
- Prima – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Rani Indian – Three courses for £20
- Redhouse – £20 food offer
- Revolución de Cuba – £10, £15 and £20 food offers
- Revolution – Three courses for £15
- Roof Thirty Nine – Two courses for £20
- Sachins – Three courses for £20
- Shark Club – Two courses for £10, three courses for £15
- Shearer’s Sports Bar – Two courses for £10, three courses for £15
- Simply Greek – £10, £15 and £20 food offers
- Square – £10 and £15 food offers
- St Vincent – Two courses for £20
- Super Natural Cafe – Two courses for £15
- Thali Tray – £15 food deal
- The Alchemist – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Bridge Tavern – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Borad Chare – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Earl of Pitt Street – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Exchange – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The French Quarter – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Grainger Bar – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Head of Steam – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Hudson – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Maven – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The Muddler – £15 and £20 food deals
- The Purple Peacock – Two courses for £20
- The Real Greek – £15 food offer
- The Town Wall – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- The WonderBar – Two courses for £10
- Tomahawk Steakhouse – Three courses for £20
- Topolino – Two courses for £20
- Trap Food House – Three courses for £20
- Turtle Bay – Three courses for £15
- Twenty Twenty – £20 food deal
- Umai Mi – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
- Ury – £20 food offer
- Victors – Two courses for £20
- Yolo Townhouse – £15 food offer
- Zizzi – Three courses for £20
- Zuccini Pasta Bar – Two courses for £15, three courses for £20
What restaurants are you excited to be hitting up to get the best deals? Let us know on our social media and follow us for the latest North East Updates – https://northeastupdates.com
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