An author is appealing for people to share their treasured memories and family photographs at the famous Spanish City.
In partnership with North Tyneside Council, Whitley Bay resident Mick Sharp is working on a follow-up to his successful book The Dome of Memories.
The book was released in 2011 to mark the centenary of the iconic building.
With the Spanish City now being restored to its former glory as part of the council’s Seafront Master Plan, Mick is busy researching details of the attraction’s rich past for his next edition.
He said: “I’ve already had a great response from people on social media but now I’m looking to widen my appeal for memories and photos.
“Plenty of people have shared photographs showing scenes of the Spanish City but what I’m really looking for are things like family snapshots – personal pictures of people enjoying days out there.
“The human element is absolutely fascinating and it’s so nice to see photos of parents and their kids, or groups of friends, doing the sorts of things that people used to do on a day out there having fun.
“The pictures don’t have to be great and it doesn’t matter when they were taken either as I’m creating a cross section of memories throughout different periods in the history of the Spanish City – although it would be fantastic to get hold of some really old shots.”
Mick is also keen to hear from anyone north of the border who used to come to Whitley Bay for the so-called ‘Scottish fortnight’.
He added: “Every year, for two weeks in the summer, all the Scottish factories would close and thousands of workers would come to Whitley Bay and take over all the B&Bs.
“If anyone can remember what it was like here at the time, or if anyone has any photos to share, I would love to hear from them.”
To contact Mick email micksharp@blueyonder.co.uk or you can post your old photos of Spanish City on the Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WBMasterPlan/
Meanwhile, Whitley Bay Big Local is holding a drop-in session where people can share their memories of the Spanish City Dome over a cup of coffee.
The event will take place at the Big Local shop in Park View on Thursday 30 November from 5pm-8pm.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About the Spanish City restoration
North Tyneside Council, in partnership with Robertson Construction and architecture firm ADP, is carrying out a major £10m restoration of the building.
Work got underway in September 2016 and the restoration is due for completion in late spring 2018.
The sympathetic restoration project, which is part of the Whitley Bay Seafront Plan, has been designed by ADP and is being delivered by Robertson Construction.
It comes after North Tyneside Council successfully secured £3.47m of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The council has invested £4m and also secured a Coastal Communities Fund grant of more than £2.5m.
Following completion of works, the venue will be run by Kymel Trading Ltd as a collection of leisure facilities, including a fine dining seafood restaurant and champagne and oyster bar with floor-to-ceiling windows.
There will be event space for weddings, corporate events and parties as well as traditional tearooms, a family-friendly fish and chip restaurant and takeaway and an ice-cream parlour. A range of public events will also be held, such as fairs, cinema screenings, tea dances and seasonal events.
About the Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan
The Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan sets out the council’s ambitious plans to regenerate the coastline between St Mary’s Lighthouse and Cullercoats Bay, working alongside its various partners.
The Master Plan incorporates a mix of council and private sector developments and involves more than £36m of new investment.
For more information about the Master Plan, and to watch an aerial film showcasing the regeneration, visit http://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/642/coastal-regeneration
Regular updates are posted on the Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WBMasterPlan/