Eyes & Ears 18.04.25
Especially for people who think they don't have time to read this
On the Line
Reopening the Leamside Line could generate 1,000 jobs, unlock the potential to build 10,000 homes and provide better access to education, employment and leisure activities for 100,000 people.
The North East Combined Authority’s Local Growth Plan states: “It will seek to replicate the success of the Scottish Borders Railway connecting Edinburgh and Tweedbank, where passenger numbers are treble those first forecast and the project has increased business investment, footfall, boosting tourism and improved work and leisure opportunities.”
The Leamside Line is recognised as the most important piece of transport infrastructure for the economic future of the North East - and mayor Kim McGuinness has already committed £8m to develop a business case for it. My article for The QT last year points out that the 21 miles is of huge national importance as well.
The line could be used to divert slow moving freight trains off the congested East Coast Main Line, removing the long-standing bottleneck on this vital connection and allowing more trains to run between Scotland and London.
This wider national benefit is something that has to be taken into account when Government funds are being dished out.
Waste not…
Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch joined canvassers in Cramlington ahead of the local elections. Local media were not invited and she did not take any questions.
OK. Next…
Reform leader Nigel Farage was more forthcoming, as you would expect, on a visit to Morpeth on Tuesday where he angered the Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council, Glen Sanderson, by saying the council needed a ‘Doge’, the department run by Elon Musk under US president Donald Trump to cut Government waste.
Councillor Sanderson said later: “We have shown we are perfectly okay with the level of debt we have. When we had our independent review by the Local Government Association [LGA], they pointed out very strong leadership and a strong financial standing.”
Man sleeps on train shock
We need more investigative journalism in this country. But not like this.
Running the NHS is not a Monday-Friday, 9-5 job. And former Northumberland and Newcastle hospital boss Jim Mackey has a reputation for having a strong work ethic.
I don’t know what the Daily Mail was expecting him to do on the three-hour train journey to Newcastle, but I do know what articles like this do for the reputation of me and my fellow journalists.
The Mail followed this up with another “exclusive” catching Sir Jim yawning at the airport before catching an early-morning flight to Portugal for an Easter break.
Scandalous.
Making progress
Greggs has released its latest sustainability report, marking further progress against its five-year sustainability plan.
Highlights of 2024 include opening its 1,000th Breakfast Club, now providing free breakfasts to over 75,000 pupils every school day; redistributing 45% of unsold food; expanding its network of Outlet shops to 38 locations, with plans to open seven more in 2025; having a product range that includes 30% ‘Healthier Choice’ items; increased sustainable packaging and securing a top four ranking among 150 of the world’s largest food companies in the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW).
Chief executive Roisin Currie said “We are now shaping the next phase of The Greggs Pledge to drive even greater impact. We want to build on the progress we have made and focus on redefining our goals for the next five years.”
Warning sign
A few weeks ago I came across a new-build estate with big marketing signs promoting the homes that were available for sale. Alongside was an equally big sign: “Bricklayers wanted”.
I remember thinking that any family wanting to move in might have to wait a bit longer than expected for their dream home to be built.
I was reminded of that this week by the headline ‘North East needs 7,000 more construction workers by 2028 to meet Labour housebuilding target’. Targets are one thing. Having the workforce to meet them is another.
A particular shortage of roofers, joiners, and bricklayers was highlighted to Newcastle City Council’s economy, jobs and skills scrutiny committee on Monday. The Construction Skills Network (CSN) reports that 251,500 extra workers will be required nationally to meet UK construction output by 2028 – including 6,850 in the North East.
Nicholas
More officers
The Government confirmed that 3,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and police community support officers will be in post within the next 12 months as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. Cleveland will get 20 officers and 31 PCSOs, Durham will get 26 officers and Northumbria 95 plus 27 PCSOs.
A quick word
King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a Royal Maundy service at Durham Cathedral, which saw 152 people presented with specially minted money to thank them for their service to their local community. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen is taking Government advice and announced his intention to step down as Chair of the three development corporations, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and South Tees. The five-star Bailiffgate Hotel next to Alnwick Castle will finally open for business next month. The hotel, located on the site of the former Duchess High School, was due to open last summer but the Northumberland Estates project ran into ‘unforeseen issues’. Sunderland University has officially opened the Kate Adie Collection. The acclaimed journalist donated more than 2,000 items to the archive including clothing, bomb fragments and a chunk of the Berlin Wall.
The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, which opened in July 2002, has welcomed its ten millionth visitor. Director Sarah Munro was on hand to welcome Bedlington couple Marie and David Thompson with flowers and gifts. Metro operators Nexus have taken delivery of two more new trains. The first of the Swiss-made Stadler fleet entered service in December. Five are now running on weekdays with one also operating at weekends. George Farr, who lives and farms near Cornhill-on-Tweed, has been installed as the High Sheriff of Northumberland. Jo Curry, chief executive of the James Knott Trust, has been installed as High Sheriff of Tyne & Wear.
Beach clean-up award
A £5 million scheme to clean up Lynemouth beach has won a prestigious engineering award. The Lynemouth Coastal Landfill Remediation scheme, funded by Northumberland County Council, was recognised at the Robert Stephenson Awards for successfully removing 70 years' worth of colliery waste.
It also saw 95,000 tons of sediment processed and more than 1,000 tons of waste removed from the beach, preventing hazardous materials such as plastics, rubber and asbestos from polluting the sea.
Partners wanted
Homes England is looking for development partners for a £950m regeneration scheme in Newcastle close to the Utilita Arena. The Forth Yards project will provide 2,500 new homes and more than 161,500 sqft of commercial space.
A tender notice said: "Homes England and its public sector partners (Newcastle City Council, the North East Combined Authority and Network Rail) are keen to see this strategic site become a vibrant part of the city. The partners aspire to see development of a well connected, mixed use and sustainable new community that integrates well into the existing fabric of the city.”
Tees Valley tour
Another major cycling event is coming to the Tees Valley this June. The region will host the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women for the first time, having twice previously hosted the men’s race.
The event starts on Thursday June 5 with a stage from Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire to Zetland Park in Redcar. The following day cyclists will take a route between Hartlepool Marina and Saltburn-by-the-Sea. The four-day event ends in Glasgow.
Business bites
Esh Construction is to deliver almost 300 affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire. A derelict library on Sunderland Road in Gateshead will be replaced by a 55-home extra care development for later living housing provider Housing 21. In Jarrow, Esh has bought land for Karbon Homes to build a mixed affordable housing scheme. The founders of Chester-le-Street based Orchard Financial Management, Graeme Leigh and wife Michele, have decided to retire and have sold the business to the financial advice arm of Newcastle Building Society, Newcastle Financial Advisers. OneGym is open their 12th premises in the region by opening a £1m site in Hartlepool, located in the former Mister Twisters unit on Park View industrial estate.
THE WIDER VIEW
Roots in the region
Excellent interview in N with Richard Conway who left Newcastle to go to university and felt he had no option but to stay in London if he was to get ahead in his career.
Now, 25 years on, with a successful career in sports journalism under his belt, he is co-founder and managing partner of Spectacle, providing reputation management for global sports federations, club owners and sponsors.
Close family ties regularly bring him home but, with a key client involved in a high-profile sponsorship deal in the region, Richard has made new links with the business community and become a keen advocate of the region.
He says: “The work I’m doing with our client has really showed me how the region has bloomed from when I left at 18. That growth has not been without its challenges, but I sense a real confidence in the region now.”
Among his new connections is the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, and its North East Roots Fund, which encourages individuals who found success outside the region to help and inspire the next generation.
Richard, who has twice been named Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the Sports Journalism Awards, says: “It’s an exciting time for the region with the Crown Works Studios in development at Sunderland, Warner Music coming to Newcastle and tech start-ups too.
“When I wanted to work in media, I had to stay in London, but now it feels like there’s a way for young people here to enter an industry and develop, without automatically leaving the region.”
2007 ad break
I didn’t have to think too hard about which classic ad to bring you this week. The Cadbury's Gorilla ad first aired on August 31, 2007. Featuring Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight, it was praised for its unexpected, feel-good approach and went viral, gaining 500,000 views on YouTube in its first week.
The reason it became an obvious choice was thanks to a brilliant video I saw on Twitter featuring a couple in their kitchen. I’ll say no more, but I urge you to click on the link below. Trust me, it will be worth it (click the ‘go back’ arrow when you’ve finished watching so you come back here!).
Halls of apprentices
Interesting idea from Greater Manchester where apprentices could be offered university-style halls of residence under plans that are being backed by mayor Andy Burnham.
He has committed to trialling the concept which would offer the university experience to young people taking apprenticeships.
The Manchester Evening News said plans for a pilot of the scheme dubbed Our House are currently being drawn up. Co-operatives UK, which is behind the idea, has been surveying thousands of young people and holding focus groups as they prepare to present their findings to employers and organisations that are interested in getting involved.
Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley said: "What we're trying to do with Our House is recognise that going to university isn't just about what you learn.
"It's about meeting new people and experiencing different cities and learning to use the washing machine, how to cook for yourself and all those things you suddenly learn when you haven't got your mum and dad there doing it all for you.
"Those are the kind of really important things you learn at uni. They're life skills.”
De-extinction rebellion
US biotech company Colossal Biosciences Inc has attracted a lot of attention for their claim to have resurrected the dire wolf from Game of Thrones.
What’s the problem? Well, pretty much everything, according to this article in The Conversation ‘Why de-extinct dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature’.
“It’s like claiming to have brought Napoleon back from the dead by asking a short Frenchman to wear his hat,” says author Rich Grenyer.
From last week
I did promise that last week’s edition was a tariff-free zone. So I couldn’t show you this last week…