14-05-2025
Exact date Britain's first American-style shopping centre will be DEMOLISHED by this year – with work to start in weeks
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BRITAIN'S first American-style shopping centre will be demolished this year - and work is set to start in weeks.
The Viking Centre in Jarrow, near Newcastle is being partially pulled down as part of a major revamp.
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The Viking Centre in Jarrow is set to be demolished by December 1
Credit: Viking Centre
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The shopping centre was the first American-style shopping centre in Britain
Credit: Getty
The plans have been given the go ahead from the council and demolition works are set to commence in the coming weeks.
As part of the demolition a number of vacant units will be pulled down including the beloved former Wilko building on the corner of Bede Precinct and Ellison Street.
Also being torn down are a number of former charity shops.
But it's not all bad news with locals relieved to hear that the Jarrow Buffs Social Club at 96 Ellison Street will remain untouched.
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The major overhaul is aimed at opening up space for future developments on the site.
The work is due to start in July and will be finished by 1 December 2025, meaning the site could be ready just in time for the busy Christmas season.
The application for the demolition was submitted earlier this year by Sheet Anchor Investments Limited, the owners of the site, and was approved on April 29, 2025.
No objections were received during the public consultation period.
Planning officers noted that the method of demolition was appropriate for the site and that the restoration plans would leave the area in a 'tidy condition'.
The buildings will be knocked down using a top-down method.
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This means the roof will be removed first, followed by the perimeter walls.
The units will then be demolished down to 'slab level'.
This comes as part of a string of demolitions across the country.
The once-thriving Broadmarsh shopping centre in Nottingham is set to be pulled down, sparking fierce backlash from locals.
Once a bustling hotspot in the 90s, Broadmarsh has stood abandoned since 2020 when its former operator collapsed into administration.
Now, years of decay could soon come to an end.
Homes England, the government agency tasked with boosting affordable housing, has snapped up the site and submitted major plans to Nottingham City Council.
They want permission to bulldoze the derelict structure and kick start a huge redevelopment project in the heart of the city.
The £650 million revamp promises 1,000 new homes, 20,000 square metres of retail, office, and community space, and around 2,000 full-time jobs once finished.
