Latest news with #RiverTyne
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Tyne and Wear water safety warning ahead of school holidays
Emergency services are warning against going into water that is not managed by lifeguards during the warm summer holiday months.A safety event was held by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on Newcastle's Quayside on were also representatives from voluntary organisations including the RNLI and Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade at the free chief fire officer Stewart Nicholson, who took part in a water rescue demonstration, said: "Around the school holidays, especially when it's beautiful weather, there is the temptation to drop into the water to cool off." He also said people who had gathered for the event on the River Tyne could see "how quickly the water moves" and urged them to go to "managed environment" like pools or beaches with lifeguards on the demonstration, he said: "I could personally feel how cold the water is and it's so, so easy to get into difficulty once you enter." He said the service "regularly" rescued people from the rivers Tyne and also said the night-time economy in the area presented an "added issue"."It can be all types of people that decide to get into the water."We advise against that very much," Mr Nicholson added. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Telegraph
13-07-2025
- Telegraph
Newcastle needed a suitably luxurious hotel – but I'm not sure this is it
Some hotels are seasonal. Not in the sense that they close for certain months, but that they suit certain times of the year more than others. Turning up at the Dakota hotel on a blisteringly hot day, directly across the River Tyne from the landmark Baltic Flour Mill, felt strange. I got out of my Uber in my shorts, squinted in the sun, then disappeared into the shadows of a building where it perpetually feels like late evening February. In theory I'm a Dakota fan: when I stayed at their Manchester hotel, way back in 2019, I thought it sleek and chic. A great place for a date, a better place for a debauched (but still luxury) weekend. The Newcastle sibling is cut from the same cloth but feels somehow flat-packed. It opened in March in an unlovely former office building that has been tarted up with on-trend glass partitions, dramatic pools of downlighting, vintage industrial clock motifs and huge jars of fake white flowers. It looks the part in photos, but sitting in the small cocktail bar made me feel like it had all been generated by AI (the main bar is next to the restaurant). An outdoor terrace has no view of the river and is hemmed in by foliage and heaters clearly geared up for chillier Newcastle weather. But there were things I liked about the hotel's overall design, most notably the sludge-greige colour scheme that reminded me of Rick Owens' trademark 'Dust'. It is, as they say, a mood. The bedrooms are large, and mine had giant arched windows with Venetian blinds, which my 1980s soul is always cheered by. Bathrooms are stark grey, with tubs and nicely spacious. My 1990s soul connected with the Molton Brown miniatures. The 2020s me was thrilled that signing into all the TV apps in the bedroom was easy. As it should be. Also, the slate area in the desk on which to rest your hair straighteners is a nice touch. This is the kind of hotel I'd be delighted to stay in if I was in the city for work for a few days. Staff are beaming and service is great. Judging by all the Prada, tans and teeth that I shared the lift with, the Dakota has become a draw for Millennials for a weekend break or night out. Which means they're probably eating in the Dakota Bar and Grill, which has the same dark wood and brass rivet New York steakhouse vibe as the Manchester branch. The interior is illuminated by myriad sources, which passes for sophistication. And it just about works. But the menu doesn't (which it really should because it's so simple). The cocktails I had in the bar were excellent; a mezcal negroni and a Dolce and Banana cocktail with that genuinely lovely synthetic banana flavour that reminds you of penny sweets. In theory, dinner was going to be straightforward: steak and chips, with a few other bits and bobs. I went to the giant Hawksmoor in Canary Wharf recently, which reminded me just how good a top-tier chain restaurant can be. The steak couldn't have been bettered. In Newcastle, the cow shouldn't have died in the first place. Things started as bad as can be. Chicken ravioli with pancetta, parmesan and egg yolk sounded like a must have but was a horror – a rubbery gyoza casing came filled with a set of flavours that felt like they'd just gone through a messy divorce, as well as a hand blender. Bread came, along with an uninvited bowl of marinara sauce and a disc of goats cheese in it. My dining companion had grilled Iberico pork, which he said was flavourful but overcooked in parts. I ordered the £85 Wagyu fillet from Westholme Australia (there's also a Wagyu rib eye from Kagoshima for a truly wild £150), asking for it on the cusp of rare and medium rare. It came closer to the fully cooked end of the latter – just a little pink, with none of the softness or marbling I'd expect from good Wagyu. It had also been grilled with herbs rubbed on the skin, which I hate, because I'm a purist when it comes to cow. No sauce, no nothing – just the beef please. I did, however, enjoy several glasses of Touriga Nacional from the Fire & Smoke section of the reds and wondered if the restaurant here might be better for the lunchtime Sunday roast than a date-night splurge. I looked back at my notes on my trip to the Manchester Dakota the next morning while having breakfast and one thing was consistent. The eggs Benedict here is also 'gold-standard'. The perfect muffin and poached eggs, salty crisped bacon and an indulgent but not sickly hollandaise. It didn't repeat on me, as so many Benedicts have done in the past. But there was to be one upset on the way that I hadn't anticipated. When I got back to London, I realised I had left my shorts at the hotel, which cost two Wagyu fillets and then some from Mr Porter. A slightly bewildered member of staff took my call and assured me they had been found and that a link to pay for the postage for their return was coming my way. The shorts arrived the next day. When they had come from Mr Porter, they were inside a gift box, wrapped in black tissue. When they turned up from Newcastle, they had been crudely rolled up, and a piece of A4 paper sellotaped around the middle with my name and address scrawled on (the Special Delivery sticker went across the paper and some of the scrunched, fully exposed fabric). I was annoyed, but I laughed out loud. And I was glad the link to pay for the service had never arrived. Doubles from £125, or £145 including breakfast. There are two fully accessible rooms. Mark C. O'Flaherty travelled as a guest of LNER ( which runs regular services between London and Newcastle, with a journey time of three hours, from £28 each way.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Tynemouth Priory and Castle begins overnight access trial
Twenty years after its gates were closed at night in response to antisocial behaviour, a ruined priory is to reopen them for a trial period in an effort to reconnect with the outer gates at Tynemouth Priory and Castle will remain open overnight on weekdays as part of a two-week pilot, English Heritage said.A decision to protect the site from damage was made in 2005, but English Heritage said it was "keen to rebuild trust by reopening the space with a renewed sense of shared responsibility".North Shields resident Rachel Lilley, who uses the site as a vantage point to watch for dolphins, welcomed the change saying: "I won't have to worry about getting locked in now." The ruins of the medieval monastic church sits atop a headland overlooking the River Tyne as it enters the North Lilley said: "It's a great viewing point, as I'm up high so can see further."Let's hope everyone acts responsibly and doesn't spoil it for the majority."English Heritage said it was trialling access to the moat "because we believe in the community and want to offer a safe, respectful place for everyone to enjoy the summer evenings".The gate at the bottom of the site will also be opened as part of the charity asked people to avoid smoking and littering and has banned barbecues on the moat. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Council withholds £110k over Gateshead Sage car park dispute
A council is withholding £110,000 of the cost of a car park over claims it is not "fit for use". The £23m car park was built by Gateshead Council as part of its long-delayed redevelopment scheme along the River was completed in January 2023 but remains shut to the public, in part due to a dispute between the developers and the local authority. Gateshead Council said it was confident the car park will open in the autumn. Developers Willmott Dixon have been approached for comment. As part of major redevelopment plans, an events arena is slated to be built on land between the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the Glasshouse concert hall. The Sage complex was originally due to open last year but construction has yet to start and the estimated cost has risen by £90m to more than £ 1,003-space car park was built as part of the redevelopment leader Martin Gannon previously said the car park was not "fit for use", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. In response to a freedom of information (FOI) request, Gateshead Council said it had already paid £22.8m to Willmott Dixon for the construction of the car park but was withholding £110,000 due to a dispute. It said this was due to various issues, including the fact that water was ponding in the structure which it said would not occur "under best practice guidance".It said there had been disagreement over who was liable for the "defects", but the developer has now resolved those issues. Plans to make the car park fully operational have been completed and it will open later this year, a spokesperson said. The authority also said the car park was a "key piece of infrastructure" that supports "both the existing and future activity" of the area.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Historic Norwegian ship to visit to Newcastle's River Tyne
The visit of a historic Norwegian cargo ship to the River Tyne has a special significance for one local S/S Hestmanden, which served as a convoy vessel during World War Two, will be berthed in Newcastle until Thursday as part of a UK tour marking the 80th anniversary of VE Chris Flanighan, its arrival is a poignant reminder of his grandfather, Karluf Thorsen, who fled Nazi-occupied Norway and served throughout the war in the merchant navy. He said: "This ship symbolises the life he lived, and the risks he took". Built in 1911, S/S Hestmanden played a vital role in transporting medicine, food, fuel, ammunition, and weapons during the also formed part of a covert flotilla of fishing boats used to smuggle soldiers, agents and freedom fighters between Norway and Shetland, and on return trips helped to evacuate refugees and Allied a national treasure in Norway, it serves as a floating war sailors' museum, preserving the legacy of those who kept the supply lines open. Mr Flanighan, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, has spent years uncovering the legacy of his grandfather."He left Norway around the age of 17 or 18 and didn't return home until he was 22," he said."Germany had occupied Norway, and he was part of the convoys supplying the Allied effort from Britain."This ship symbolises the life he lived, and the risks he took". 'Coming home' In a tribute to his grandfather's legacy, Mr Flanighan has been invited to join the Maritime Volunteer Service on one of their vessels as part of a ceremonial escort up the river."When I heard the ship was coming to Newcastle - the last stop on her UK tour - I was over the moon," he said."It's not just a ship visit. For me and my family, it's like she's coming home." During the visit, people have a chance to go on board the floating museum until Wednesday and explore its interactive will also be events including a wreath-laying ceremony at Norwegian war graves in Stephen C. Healy of Trinity House, Newcastle, said: "This historic visit reaffirms the deep maritime bonds between Norway and the north-east of England. "It is a tremendous privilege to help honour the legacy of the war sailors." Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
