Drinking in Sunderland city centre

[Chatty83]

Agreed with the phrase, sadly it's not the bars that's the problem though. It's everything else. There's very little in Sunderland to do other than drink and not many people are going to come further afield for just pubs / bars which Newcastle wins on easily like going to the cinema in the Gate then walking out and ending up in Spoons for a couple then the next minute it's 3am (done that enough) or people going shopping then getting a bite to eat and a few drinks since the retail is awful (also done a few times).

*I know there's the cinema at Sunniside but it's naff and miles out the way.

Sunderland has a shopping centre, a theratre, a cinema, a casino, several music venues, loads of restaraunts, a museum, also has a climbing centre just outside the centre, an art gallery, a park, all within a closer proximity than they are in Newcastle.

Newcastle has a lot more for sure but bit of a cop out answer when it has pretty much all the same things with less walking distance.

 

[Zimba]

Sunderland has a shopping centre, a theratre, a cinema, a casino, several music venues, loads of restaraunts, a museum, also has a climbing centre just outside the centre, an art gallery, a park, all within a closer proximity than they are in Newcastle.

Newcastle has a lot more for sure but bit of a cop out answer when it has pretty much all the same things with less walking distance.

There's more than just Newcastle though, I'm talking about outside of Sunderland here so if I was going to go to Sunderland I'd have to go out of the way to get there but even the likes of Washington are closer to Newcastle than Sunderland and many other places.

I think the point I was trying to make was Sunderland doesn't really have a destination for people really choose it over anywhere else; the art gallery / museum isn't great, there's no real standout restaurants (there's better ones at Whitley for example), the Theatre is fine - credit due, there's loads of cinemas around, the Bridges is horrid and needs demolished, casino's are something I'd rather avoid etc.

Taking Newcastle out, I could go to Whitley Bay and Silverlink both close to here and get a similar offering than the whole of Sunderland with Tynemouth another 5 minutes away and I've got 2x as much as Sunderland and they're commuter towns or a retail park. Sunderland should at least have one thing above them all and it really sadly doesn't, the bar scene is alright though in general. Tynemouth has 3 things over Sunderland though with a mini golf, aquarium and a priory though (admit the last you can't just built).

 

[1more]

There's more than just Newcastle though, I'm talking about outside of Sunderland here so if I was going to go to Sunderland I'd have to go out of the way to get there but even the likes of Washington are closer to Newcastle than Sunderland and many other places.

I think the point I was trying to make was Sunderland doesn't really have a destination for people really choose it over anywhere else; the art gallery / museum isn't great, there's no real standout restaurants (there's better ones at Whitley for example), the Theatre is fine - credit due, there's loads of cinemas around, the Bridges is horrid and needs demolished, casino's are something I'd rather avoid etc.

Taking Newcastle out, I could go to Whitley Bay and Silverlink both close to here and get a similar offering than the whole of Sunderland with Tynemouth another 5 minutes away and I've got 2x as much as Sunderland and they're commuter towns or a retail park. Sunderland should at least have one thing above them all and it really sadly doesn't, the bar scene is alright though in general. Tynemouth has 3 things over Sunderland though with a mini golf, aquarium and a priory though (admit the last you can't just built).

We get it you hate Sunderland

Well as a resident of Sunderland I can honestly say I have no need what so ever to get north of the Tyne as my city offers everything I need

 

[Zimba]

We get it you hate Sunderland

Well as a resident of Sunderland I can honestly say I have no need what so ever to get north of the Tyne as my city offers everything I need

Just hate visiting the centre really, it just isn't a nice place anymore and it's sad really. Hopefully the council developments can turn it round but there doesn't seem to be much planned for the centre especially Blandford Street and High Street West.

Roker / Seaburn is canny though and the Roker Lights and Sunderland Airshow are two of the best events in the North East imo.

Don't mind Sunderland as a whole there's worse places up here like most of Newcastle outside the centre especially on the West side.

 

[tunstallhill]

Hopefully the new auditorium will be a big jump forward. If it starts to get on the mid-size band tour circuit you'll get people coming from all over the north east for gigs. Won't be in massive volume but hopefully will be the type of people that will spend a few quid on food and drink while they are here.

 

[Osklen]

We get it you hate Sunderland

Well as a resident of Sunderland I can honestly say I have no need what so ever to get north of the Tyne as my city offers everything I need

in fairness he was just being objective and his view is worthy of consideration particularly as not someone living in the city - so perhaps a view of an outsider or visitor.

Just because the city may provide everything for yourself that doesn’t mean others would necessarily enjoy it. The city needs to consider people across the board and be much more diverse.

Zimba has a reasonable understanding of the city and chooses not to come so is pertinent. The city and its businesses if they wish to be successful need to consider how they might change those peoples minds. It’s not about his those who currently go to the city it’s about trying to attract those who don’t or choose not to.

Hopefully the new auditorium will be a big jump forward. If it starts to get on the mid-size band tour circuit you'll get people coming from all over the north east for gigs. Won't be in massive volume but hopefully will be the type of people that will spend a few quid on food and drink while they are here.

I agree though they need to somehow attract more national acts or find some form of niche that makes bands / punters to go to by choice.

 

[MackneyHackem]

Surely you could jump in a taxi if walking it is a problem? Probably wouldn't even be a fiver.

How much?! Mare money than sense ffs.

 

[1more]

in fairness he was just being objective and his view is worthy of consideration particularly as not someone living in the city - so perhaps a view of an outsider or visitor.

Just because the city may provide everything for yourself that doesn’t mean others would necessarily enjoy it. The city needs to consider people across the board and be much more diverse.

Zimba has a reasonable understanding of the city and chooses not to come so is pertinent. The city and its businesses if they wish to be successful need to consider how they might change those peoples minds. It’s not about his those who currently go to the city it’s about trying to attract those who don’t or choose not to.


I agree though they need to somehow attract more national acts or find some form of niche that makes bands / punters to go to by choice.

Whilst he does raise decent points he most certainly was having a dig at Sunderland and that's typical of pretty much everyone north of the Tyne.

My point is equally valid that my city others more than enough for me and also offer things that our nearest and dearest neighbours cannt offer

In fact you also like to take a dig at Sunderland on any occasion you can

 

[Osklen]

Whilst he does raise decent points he most certainly was having a dig at Sunderland and that's typical of pretty much everyone north of the Tyne.

My point is equally valid that my city others more than enough for me and also offer things that our nearest and dearest neighbours cannt offer

In fact you also like to take a dig at Sunderland on any occasion you can

i am just trying to be objective I’m not trying just to take a dig at the city for the sake of it at all. We have to accept there are problems in the city (any town or city has them) and that we need to address these or look at how markets/demand is constantly changing in order to progress the city and keep it progressing.

Much of the issue of Sunderland is one of perception more than anything else but there is an issue of footfall in pubs and clubs at certain times and days. I’ve been out recently on a Friday night and perhaps went to the wrong end of town or it was a one off, but was in port of call and me and our group were the only people in it. That wouldn’t be a great experience for someone visiting the city, nevermind a resident. Ok there may be known routes on certain nights but how do people visiting the city know.

I’d love to know what I’ve took a dig at the city about?

 

[EDGE]

People might not agree with this but I preferred the years when pubs closed at 10:30-11pm and people would go clubbing thereafter

I honestly think nightouts lost something special when they put extended drinking hours everywhere

Definitely. Extended hours have ruined the atmosphere (amongst other factors).

 

[RestlessNatives]

Definitely. Extended hours have ruined the atmosphere (amongst other factors).

I think it has improved things massively. You can go out for a civilised drink without there being a mad rush to get in before last orders. I think what a lot of people forget is that all day drinking came in 16 years ago, when we were all 16 years younger and behaved differently.
Even if licensing hours didn't change, you wouldn't get the same atmosphere as you did going to the same pubs 20 years ago. The young uns still get the atmosphere we reminisce about but they go out much later and to different pubs to us.
Apart from Herbal, nobody is religiously going out every weekend to the same pubs they used to.

 

[EDGE]

I think it has improved things massively. You can go out for a civilised drink without there being a mad rush to get in before last orders. I think what a lot of people forget is that all day drinking came in 16 years ago, when we were all 16 years younger and behaved differently.
Even if licensing hours didn't change, you wouldn't get the same atmosphere as you did going to the same pubs 20 years ago. The young uns still get the atmosphere we reminisce about but they go out much later and to different pubs to us.
Apart from Herbal, nobody is religiously going out every weekend to the same pubs they used to.

There are many factors which have affected atmosphere. During the 70s and 80s many locals worked in heavy industry normally working M-F finishing at 4 on a Friday.

The pubs would open 5:30 ish to 10:30 so it was a rush back home for a SSS then out to the pub with a packet of fags to drink as much as possible ASAP.

Work has moved to more shift based and become less manual. Less of a macho culture.

Depends on what you want. Although the atmosphere was better in the 80s it was very crowded and not comfortable at all. Couldn't do it now. Much prefer sitting down and having a conversation rather than shouting into someone's ear every 2 minutes.

 

[tysonstorm]

I was really surprised how empty the town is. For example I went on a night out in the City Centre 3 weeks ago on a Saturday night, for the first time since the pandemic started and it was awfully quiet, compared to the usual hustle and bustle. Also compared to say the seafront for eg where it seems to be always busy.

Then I went into the city centre yesterday lunchtime to do a quick 20 minute shopping trip in passing, again the first time in several months, and the Bridges was like a ghost town. Usually at that time the Bridges would be chocka.

It's a pretty sorry state of affairs and I wonder what it's going to take for the City Centre to return to pre-covid levels of busy, if ever? I also wonder is the sea front killing the City Centre off?

 

[EDGE]

I was really surprised how empty the town is. For example I went on a night out in the City Centre 3 weeks ago on a Saturday night, for the first time since the pandemic started and it was awfully quiet, compared to the usual hustle and bustle. Also compared to say the seafront for eg where it seems to be always busy.

Then I went into the city centre yesterday lunchtime to do a quick 20 minute shopping trip in passing, again the first time in several months, and the Bridges was like a ghost town. Usually at that time the Bridges would be chocka.

It's a pretty sorry state of affairs and I wonder what it's going to take for the City Centre to return to pre-covid levels of busy, if ever? I also wonder is the sea front killing the City Centre off?

It has.Went down the seafront on Saturday night and it was busy.

The Stack should have been located on the old CLC site.

 

[Osklen]

I was really surprised how empty the town is. For example I went on a night out in the City Centre 3 weeks ago on a Saturday night, for the first time since the pandemic started and it was awfully quiet, compared to the usual hustle and bustle. Also compared to say the seafront for eg where it seems to be always busy.

Then I went into the city centre yesterday lunchtime to do a quick 20 minute shopping trip in passing, again the first time in several months, and the Bridges was like a ghost town. Usually at that time the Bridges would be chocka.

It's a pretty sorry state of affairs and I wonder what it's going to take for the City Centre to return to pre-covid levels of busy, if ever? I also wonder is the sea front killing the City Centre off?

I do think the success of the coast line is a real challenge whilst at the same time being a real attractor for the city as there is only so much footfall that can be attracted.

The two possibly attract different crowds - seafront being more food and a few drinks, town/city centre being more big night out, but trying to attract sufficient footfall to both is the challenge. That and the fact younger people have different expectations on nights out and perhaps don’t drink as much as previous generations (I don’t know that for a fact just anecdotal).

 

[EDGE]

I do think the success of the coast line is a real challenge whilst at the same time being a real attractor for the city as there is only so much footfall that can be attracted.

The two possibly attract different crowds - seafront being more food and a few drinks, town/city centre being more big night out, but trying to attract sufficient footfall to both is the challenge. That and the fact younger people have different expectations on nights out and perhaps don’t drink as much as previous generations (I don’t know that for a fact just anecdotal).

Maybe the City Centre needs to try and appeal to families. Are there any family centred establishments that people can go to on a weekend? Places like Spent Grain or Proven People are making a start.

 

[Osklen]

Maybe the City Centre needs to try and appeal to families. Are there any family centred establishments that people can go to on a weekend? Places like Spent Grain or Proven People are making a start.

I agree the food is getting better and that the family leisure or food offer is poor with the exception of say the cinema / bowling alley - even then it would ideally be positioned closer to the bridges. There is other stuff likes the pool place, the e games places (not that I have been in or can say it’s good for those that would use it) and I think laser quest or whatever it’s called is still there. They need to find a way to attract those with young families as well.

the big issue the city has is quality of its retail offer. Only way around that is to try to attract and encourage independents of which the city has a few success stories. Can’t see big national chains coming for the foreseeable, or until such time as office and resi developments have been delivered.

 

[Zimba]

Whilst he does raise decent points he most certainly was having a dig at Sunderland and that's typical of pretty much everyone north of the Tyne.

My point is equally valid that my city others more than enough for me and also offer things that our nearest and dearest neighbours cannt offer

In fact you also like to take a dig at Sunderland on any occasion you can

In fairness though it's not just North of the Tyne. If anyone visited from anywhere else in the country, who don't know anyone in the city, then their views will be very similar if not more brutal. What I'm saying isn't based on it being Sunderland; I'd say the exact the same on other cities like Dundee or Stoke, to pick two out. Both very similar problems, one shopping centre, step outside it and it's not very pleasant at all and when I visit somewhere I don't really want to walk around a shopping centre the same as everywhere else. To make it even worse the Bridges is a time warp back to the 80's with massive occupation problems at the ex Debenhams end.

Look at somewhere like Bournemouth with their massive new leisure development right in the centre of the city overlooking a nice park. It's the exact thing which would do well overlooking Minister Park / a new square on the old Crowtree which is just outright blocked off right now by abandoned shops and whatever is above them, abandoned? It'll just create a focal point and bring families into the centre like Edge has just mentioned above. New smaller cinema (current is way too big), mini golf, bowling alley, casino all in one central place with the usual chain restaurants like Five Guys which don't exist currently and are everywhere and are popular.

It's a right wasted space atm imo and the current Sunniside Leisure is a waste of time and is a dump not being refurbished since opened (much suited for housing) and the Western side of the Bridges is abandoned and that won't be changing anytime soon (sadly).

 

[bobster999]

There's more than just Newcastle though, I'm talking about outside of Sunderland here so if I was going to go to Sunderland I'd have to go out of the way to get there but even the likes of Washington are closer to Newcastle than Sunderland and many other places.

I think the point I was trying to make was Sunderland doesn't really have a destination for people really choose it over anywhere else; the art gallery / museum isn't great, there's no real standout restaurants (there's better ones at Whitley for example), the Theatre is fine - credit due, there's loads of cinemas around, the Bridges is horrid and needs demolished, casino's are something I'd rather avoid etc.

Taking Newcastle out, I could go to Whitley Bay and Silverlink both close to here and get a similar offering than the whole of Sunderland with Tynemouth another 5 minutes away and I've got 2x as much as Sunderland and they're commuter towns or a retail park. Sunderland should at least have one thing above them all and it really sadly doesn't, the bar scene is alright though in general. Tynemouth has 3 things over Sunderland though with a mini golf, aquarium and a priory though (admit the last you can't just built).

If I was going somewhere for a night out I couldn't give a shite what their shopping centre looked like

 

[Zimba]

If I was going somewhere for a night out I couldn't give a shite what their shopping centre looked like

The thing is though you have to look at it from a view point if you have shoppers during the day, then they can go for food during the day or a few drinks at the same bars to give them money so they can survive in the evening. It's very hard to keep a bar open from only being busy from 7pm - 12am on a Friday and Saturday as it's dead the rest of the week.

The same people who had a few pints might also enjoy the last few hours in Sunderland go home get changed and think fuck it let's go back out and then you have a busier centre.