Guest alex Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Mind, I don't agree with Stevie on Whitley Bay either. We walked from Cullercoats to Blyth lighthouse yesterday, and it's minging most of the way. Lovely flower displays but overlooked by decrepid buildings and manky fun pubs. The bars and parks along South Shields are lovely by comparison. Much prefer a boating lake and mini railway to 42nd street and the ruins of Spanish City. St Mary's lighthouse you mean. It's a canny walk from Cullercoats to Blyth You're right though, it's pretty run down and in need of investment and a revamp round there. It's pretty depressing. Tynemouth is nice though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toonraider 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 (edited) I don't know how anyone can argue with Mr. Fists' point about Bamburgh - the beach really is a thing of beauty. You'll also struggle to find any village cricket team that has better scenery from a spectator's point of view. The commentary however was not about the beach, twas about the seafront. The whole package. There is nothing up and down the coast to compare with Shields seafront package of fairs, parks, piers, beaches, restaurants, pubs, greenery. And this myth that the air somehow is cleaner 30 miles up the same stretch of coast. As you can see in my signature there's not a beach of more natural beauty in England than Bamburgh, and it's nicer round the corner than what you can see there. Personally I like being in places of natural beauty rather, than grotty seaside towns like Blackpool, South Shields and Scarborough, over ran with charva's and the like. Bamburgh has restaurants, and it has a few lush pubs as well. It's like comparing SuBo to Elle MacPherson at her peak on so many levels. That's a very sweeping statement Stevie! Its beautiful yes, but there are several here in Devon just as beautiful and unspoilt that perhaps you haven't seen!! Edited April 18, 2011 by Toonraider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I don't know how anyone can argue with Mr. Fists' point about Bamburgh - the beach really is a thing of beauty. You'll also struggle to find any village cricket team that has better scenery from a spectator's point of view. The commentary however was not about the beach, twas about the seafront. The whole package. There is nothing up and down the coast to compare with Shields seafront package of fairs, parks, piers, beaches, restaurants, pubs, greenery. And this myth that the air somehow is cleaner 30 miles up the same stretch of coast. As you can see in my signature there's not a beach of more natural beauty in England than Bamburgh, and it's nicer round the corner than what you can see there. Personally I like being in places of natural beauty rather, than grotty seaside towns like Blackpool, South Shields and Scarborough, over ran with charva's and the like. Bamburgh has restaurants, and it has a few lush pubs as well. It's like comparing SuBo to Elle MacPherson at her peak on so many levels. That's a very sweeping statement Stevie! Especially when he contradicts it immediately afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Mind, I don't agree with Stevie on Whitley Bay either. We walked from Cullercoats to Blyth lighthouse yesterday, and it's minging most of the way. Lovely flower displays but overlooked by decrepid buildings and manky fun pubs. The bars and parks along South Shields are lovely by comparison. Much prefer a boating lake and mini railway to 42nd street and the ruins of Spanish City. St Mary's lighthouse you mean. It's a canny walk from Cullercoats to Blyth You're right though, it's pretty run down and in need of investment and a revamp round there. It's pretty depressing. Tynemouth is nice though. Aye. Not lived there long, haven't got a clue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFaul 35 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Mind, I don't agree with Stevie on Whitley Bay either. We walked from Cullercoats to Blyth lighthouse yesterday, and it's minging most of the way. Lovely flower displays but overlooked by decrepid buildings and manky fun pubs. The bars and parks along South Shields are lovely by comparison. Much prefer a boating lake and mini railway to 42nd street and the ruins of Spanish City. Blyth Lighthouse pish by the way. That Ocean Road reminds me of Armstrong Road in Scotchee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toonraider 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I am rapidly getting a headache because our accountant (and friend) has advised our business to become a limited company. I am online reading up about it, but I have to be honest and say I don't really understand it all The big benefit of it is that should things go tits up then your creditors can only take the assets of the business rather than coming after your personal property. and your accountant can write off more tax and charge you more money for the privilege. Thanks, yes I suppose it makes sense to do it for that first reason but like you say I knew there must be something in it for the accountant even though she is our mate as she has to be on some kind of commission with her firm! She says we will pay less tax though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFaul 35 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I don't know how anyone can argue with Mr. Fists' point about Bamburgh - the beach really is a thing of beauty. You'll also struggle to find any village cricket team that has better scenery from a spectator's point of view. The commentary however was not about the beach, twas about the seafront. The whole package. There is nothing up and down the coast to compare with Shields seafront package of fairs, parks, piers, beaches, restaurants, pubs, greenery. And this myth that the air somehow is cleaner 30 miles up the same stretch of coast. As you can see in my signature there's not a beach of more natural beauty in England than Bamburgh, and it's nicer round the corner than what you can see there. Personally I like being in places of natural beauty rather, than grotty seaside towns like Blackpool, South Shields and Scarborough, over ran with charva's and the like. Bamburgh has restaurants, and it has a few lush pubs as well. It's like comparing SuBo to Elle MacPherson at her peak on so many levels. That's a very sweeping statement Stevie! Especially when he contradicts it immediately afterwards. I don't see how, "round the corner" is still Bamburgh too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34166 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 The Cornish coastline takes some beating imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toonraider 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I am rapidly getting a headache because our accountant (and friend) has advised our business to become a limited company. I am online reading up about it, but I have to be honest and say I don't really understand it all If you put your company to limited it means that when/if people buy shares they can only lose what they invest. Smart option as it means you wont lose what you don't have. Thanks Kevin, it sounds the best thing to do. I'm still not completely understanding it though Sorry my old brain does not pick things up too quickly!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I don't see how, "round the corner" is still Bamburgh too. I was just joking anyway but I probably misunderstood you in any case reading back. I took it to mean the next beach up from the main one at Bamburgh which is, if anything even nicer. There's a rocky headland that separates it from the main beach there so I think you'd technically class it as a different beach. You'd probably need a RobW ruling on that though. I love how seriously you take this sort of thing btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFaul 35 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 I don't see how, "round the corner" is still Bamburgh too. I was just joking anyway but I probably misunderstood you in any case reading back. I took it to mean the next beach up from the main one at Bamburgh which is, if anything even nicer. There's a rocky headland that separates it from the main beach there so I think you'd technically class it as a different beach. You'd probably need a RobW ruling on that though. I love how seriously you take this sort of thing btw. You know how I love my North/South Tyne debates. Basically the coastline from The Tyne to the Tees is a waste of time and a blot of the landscape. The end of Get Carter summed it up for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toonraider 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 The Cornish coastline takes some beating imo. Yes stunning.... if you can put up with them strange cornish folk North Devon is beautiful too but in South Devon here we have Meadfoot Beach with Thatcher Rock, which is totally unspoilt except I live near by Then of course there's Slapton Sands, Broadsands, Beesands oh I could go on and on! Its not all like Torquay seafront which is much more commercial. Shops, gardens, pubs, ice cream stalls, even a massive balloon you can go up on!! Its fine if you want that type of thing. Personally I avoid it in Grockle time as I hate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 You know how I love my North/South Tyne debates. Basically the coastline from The Tyne to the Tees is a waste of time and a blot of the landscape. The end of Get Carter summed it up for me. Even you can't count a colliery outfall (albeit a Mackem one) as the areas "fault" though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34166 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Sounds like CT would be bang up for Torquay seafront. His three word review of Cornwall is probably something like "Needs more dodgems". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toonraider 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Yes I think Torquay seafront (in the summer) would suit CT fine Mind, I dont let the 'attractions' blind me to how lucky I am to live here. I walk there at quieter times, around the new marina (where I once fell off our mates yacht at night, into the deep dark harbour ) Then I walk along the pier and right around the headland its amazingly beautiful I especially love walking it on a wild stormy night when they sea spray hits you in the face. Opposite the seafront on the green, we have Torre Abbey and the Spanish Barn which has recently been restored. All in all I'm lucky and I don't forget it, especially when we drive through Birmingham for racing, Urgh! Dreary and depressing, I'd hate to live there. I walk out of the gates here and walk down a lane through the bluebell woods and right onto Meadfoot beach, bliss!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 HF, nothing depresses me more than the state of the front at whitley bay now. It starts at the old whisky bends and includes many properties along to the the old Avenue pub and the now decrepit Spanish city. I've got some lush photos of what used to look like 80 to 100 years ago and the decline is just terrible. I'd like to blame North Tyneside council but am not sure what they could have done. However, apart from that stretch from Esplanade to Marine Avenue, its a fantastic stretch of coast when you take into account Longsands, Cullercoats, Whitley beach north of the Spanna and then the Lighthouse, Seaton Sluice etc. South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is, Whitley let the old front commercial usages go to rack and ruin because it was no longer that type of place since the Jocks go to Benidorm for their holidays now rather than Whitley and the resultant tackiness of the place made it a destination for North Shields on a day trip rather than all sorts from all over the region. There are 4 or 5 major reconstruction jobs required to transform the area back to respectable but that would cost money that is only there at present for the dome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is I'm sure everyone on here fails to understand the appeal but ST council played an absolute blinder when they came up with the "Cookson Country" shit - other places should probably follow that model if they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 (edited) Mind, I don't agree with Stevie on Whitley Bay either. We walked from Cullercoats to Blyth lighthouse yesterday, and it's minging most of the way. Lovely flower displays but overlooked by decrepid buildings and manky fun pubs. The bars and parks along South Shields are lovely by comparison. Much prefer a boating lake and mini railway to 42nd street and the ruins of Spanish City. Blyth Lighthouse pish by the way. That Ocean Road reminds me of Armstrong Road in Scotchee. I was only 4 miles out man, it's up that way Ocean road is South Shields biggest shithole, and it's still not got any collapsing buildings boarded up and abandoned to the elements like the whole of Whitley bay has been for the last ten year. Ocean Road is just tacky, like Blackpool with more Indians. Edited April 18, 2011 by Happy Face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Didn't North Tyneside try (and fail) to do a similar thing with George Stephenson. His old house (near me) is about as unimpressive as it gets like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Sounds like CT would be bang up for Torquay seafront. His three word review of Cornwall is probably something like "Needs more dodgems". I reckon he'd go to the Lake District and spend the day in the Lakeland Pencil Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFaul 35 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is I'm sure everyone on here fails to understand the appeal but ST council played an absolute blinder when they came up with the "Cookson Country" shit - other places should probably follow that model if they can. Even Cookson was ashamed of South Tyneside most of her stories were about Wallsend and places like that. 15 Street comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 HF, nothing depresses me more than the state of the front at whitley bay now. It starts at the old whisky bends and includes many properties along to the the old Avenue pub and the now decrepit Spanish city. I've got some lush photos of what used to look like 80 to 100 years ago and the decline is just terrible. I'd like to blame North Tyneside council but am not sure what they could have done. However, apart from that stretch from Esplanade to Marine Avenue, its a fantastic stretch of coast when you take into account Longsands, Cullercoats, Whitley beach north of the Spanna and then the Lighthouse, Seaton Sluice etc. South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is, Whitley let the old front commercial usages go to rack and ruin because it was no longer that type of place since the Jocks go to Benidorm for their holidays now rather than Whitley and the resultant tackiness of the place made it a destination for North Shields on a day trip rather than all sorts from all over the region. There are 4 or 5 major reconstruction jobs required to transform the area back to respectable but that would cost money that is only there at present for the dome. Coming up to a year living in Cullercoats and we regularly pop up to Tynemouth because it's a lush walk, and they've invested in the crazy golf, Ice skating, lake & play park for the kids over the last few years, without detracting from the front. This was the first time I've walked up the other way since moving though and it was only because we were geting a deal on Sunday dinner at The Boardwalk - it was minging in there too. Lush sea front venue could be brilliant, it was heaving ...but people were sending stuff back and complaining all over the shop. Similarly, you can walk miles from the band stand in South Shields to Souter Lighthouse without seeing a bit of tat, just natural beauty all the way. I'm not saying the best of South Shields is better than the best of Tynemouth, but the worst of it is a lot better than the worst of Whitley Bay if you ask me. Neither is a patch on Bamburgh though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Didn't North Tyneside try (and fail) to do a similar thing with George Stephenson. His old house (near me) is about as unimpressive as it gets like. Went up to Cragside a few weeks ago....that's good. The house and walks I mean...not the fact that I went. Armstrong was the boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is I'm sure everyone on here fails to understand the appeal but ST council played an absolute blinder when they came up with the "Cookson Country" shit - other places should probably follow that model if they can. Not sure that was the issue on the key properties which are the problem. There are 5 big derelict buildings which have suffered because of interference from the council (The High Point hotel) through to the inability to get the private owner to sell/invest or do anything (The Avenue pub, the council had to sue the owner to get him to board it up at one point). There are those two, whisky bends as mentioned, that old club on the Esplanade (fingered the odd lass in there back in the day, odd being the operative word), Burnside hotel, and the dome. Apart from that, Whitley is alright, its just those buildings are in such prominent position on the front that everyone notices them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 South Shields aspires to be nowt better than what it is I'm sure everyone on here fails to understand the appeal but ST council played an absolute blinder when they came up with the "Cookson Country" shit - other places should probably follow that model if they can. Even Cookson was ashamed of South Tyneside most of her stories were about Wallsend and places like that. 15 Street comes to mind. Cookson's renowned for writing about more affluent, well kept areas is she? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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