Run with it
Sir Brendan Foster was in Leeds on Monday to speak at the launch of The Great North, a new partnership between regional mayors to which he has lent the internationally-renowned brand name.
In a week of so many developments and announcements, this was potentially the most significant.
Led by North East mayor Kim McGuinness and supported by deputy PM Angela Rayner, proposals were outlined to unlock £118 billion worth of investment and thousands of new jobs.
After the failure of Levelling Up, it is hoped The Great North umbrella brand can put the region on a global stage, with plans to mount international trade missions, stage a Northern Investment Summit, and make a stronger, unified case for serious investment from the Government.
Sir Brendan said that northerners were “treated and felt second class” when the Great North Run was founded in the 1980s and that he believed such attitudes were “still part of the problem” holding back young people.
But he said that the energy, community spirit and joy that made the run such a smash hit can now “power the North to an even better place”.
Opportunity knocks
The launch of The Great North took place ahead of the three-day UKREiiF, the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum in Leeds, which has grown into a beast of an event in three short years.
The jury is still out in how successful it is in connecting investors, developers and policymakers to drive sustainable growth, infrastructure development, and real estate investment. But it’s already become a FOMO event - that fear of missing out in case another region bags investment that could have been yours.
This week, North East mayor Kim McGuinness launched a £14bn Investment Prospectus, detailing a portfolio of opportunities in offshore and energy, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, life sciences, digital, defence and space. You can see an impressive video by using this link: https://investnee.co.uk/
And it was announced that the North East Combined Authority has agreed a deal with the Government’s Office for Investment and Lloyds Banking Group to drive investment into the region’s energy sector.
New airport base
EasyJet is to open a new base at Newcastle International Airport in spring next year, adding three aircraft to the two already stationed there and opening up a range of new destinations across Europe and beyond.
The base will create 130 jobs for pilots, crew, and engineers and support around 1,200 more across the airport and wider economy. The announcement comes five years after the company closed sites in Newcastle, Stansted and Southend with the loss of 670 jobs
Airport chief executive Nick Jones said: “We already know the airport is a key economic driver for the North East, contributing more than £1 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) each year. The new base will further strengthen our long-standing partnership with easyJet and we’re excited about the opportunities it will bring to the airport and the wider region.”
‘Moment in history’
Former Newcastle United owner Sir John Hall attended Durham’s annual meeting on Wednesday where Reform’s Andrew Husband was elected council leader.
The retired businessman, who has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservatives over the years, is now firmly in the turquoise corner. “This is a moment in history,” he said. “We have got a long way to go, but it’s an unbelievable change, taking over Durham County Council, which in my day was solid red.”
“It’s an exciting time, and even at 92, I’m delighted to be a part of it.”
New deputy leader, former GB News presenter Darren Grimes, will combine his role with being the portfolio holder for finance, policy and communications. His mum, Councillor Jackie Teasdale, was elected vice-chair.
Several council departments were renamed to remove references to ‘climate change’ and ‘equality and inclusion’. Another early decision was to take down the Ukraine and Pride flags flying at County Hall.
20-year impact
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is 20 years old and has released a powerful impact report developed with leading planning and economics consultancy Lichfields.
Headline figures are that it has made a £681 million contribution to the UK economy and seen more than 8 million people come through the doors since it started life off as The Sage Gateshead in 2004.
I was privileged to be part of a group who received a hard-hat tour of the building from founding general director Anthony Sargent several months before it opened and thought I’d spotted an opportunity for The Journal.
I offered to fill the venue with Journal readers for some sort of pre-opening performance so that the acoustics could be tested with a full house - only to be informed that the seats were made of material which absorbed sound, ensuring a consistent sound quality no matter whether the seats were filled or empty.
Still, I was thanked ever so nicely for my ‘kind offer’.
‘Go-to’ AI voice
Northumbria University has launched a pioneering centre of excellence in responsible artificial intelligence research and expertise. The Northumbria Centre for Responsible AI is set to be a ‘go-to’ trusted voice in the region for knowledge and advice on key aspects of AI deployment.
The centre brings together leading academics, policymakers, government and industry experts to advance AI education, research, and policy solutions, with the aim that no one is left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The centre’s areas of focus include law enforcement, public sector governance, digital education, environmental impacts, education and the creative sector.
Good advice
A former sub-postmaster whose life was “destroyed” in the Horizon computer scandal, has urged others to get proper legal advice after his compensation offer was increased from £51,000 to £500,000.
Bob Stevenson, 81, from Gateshead, ran a successful shop but the installation of the Horizon accounting system in 1999 changed everything. “We pressed the button - £800 down, the very first week it was installed - and that was happening two or three times a month.
“I used to go home after work and go in the kitchen and cry looking at the bills,” he told the BBC.
His lawyer Neil Hudgell said almost all the cases his firm had seen had been “worryingly undervalued”, with examples of compensation offers being increased from £4,400 to £133,700, or £17,700 to £253,900, after legal representations.
Striker targeted
An organised criminal family group travelled from Italy to carry out three high-end burglaries in the North East, including the homes of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak and businesswoman Helen McArdle.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the raiders had hung around Newcastle United training ground to carry out surveillance on the footballer and establish his movements, or find out where he or other players lived.
Judge Robert Spragg said the burglaries, which netted the gang £1.3m, were planned, sophisticated and high value items were targeted, causing economic and sentimental loss. He jailed the three men and a woman for a total of 32 years.
Bottom again
The Sutton Trust has published an Opportunity Index, which looks at the variation in outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The top 20 constituencies for opportunity are in London, notes Arlen Pettitt in his Wor Room newsletter, while Newcastle Central is at the bottom - and Cramlington and Killingworth just one place above.
“Free school meals pupils show a 30 percentage point gap in attainment between East Ham and Newcastle Central at GCSE grade 5 maths and English. Newcastle's FSM recipients are significantly less likely to get a degree, and less likely to end up in the top 20% of earners.”
Tories in control
Conservative Glen Sanderson has been re-elected leader of Northumberland County Council thanks to the support of the Independent Group, Greens and Liberal Democrats. Labour members abstained.
The Tories remain the largest party on the council but are nine seats short of a majority. All cabinet positions were filled by Conservative members.
Knife amnesty
Durham Police have announced a month-long blade surrender scheme to coincide with the arrival of the 27ft Knife Angel sculpture which will be installed in Newton Aycliffe on June 1.
Under the scheme, members of the public can surrender knives at the front counters of the Durham City, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee, and Darlington police stations.
The Knife Angel is made from 100,000 seized blades and began touring the country in 2018. It has never been to County Durham before.
Meanwhile, Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner, Matt Storey, has launched a plan to tackle knife crime after figures showed the Cleveland force area had the third highest rate of knife crime in the country, behind only the West Midlands and London.
Happy place
What makes for a great place to live? Access to nature, a sense of community and culture on your doorstep can all help, says The Guardian, who this week named Berwick as the happiest place to live in Britain.
The Borders town, with a population of 13,000, beat Evesham in Worcestershire and Caernarfon on the north coast of Wales to the unofficial title. Three other places in the North got an honourable mention: Durham, York and Padiham near Burnley (no, me neither).
Making an impact
Ashley Wood completed a management buyout of Middlesbrough company iConvert, six months ago and is already taking the iGaming world by storm, as you can see from the headline above from tech website BusinessCloud.
“Our success proves you don’t need a massive team or a flashy HQ to build something that delivers real impact,” said Ashley, who has a staff of five.
“Our focus is simple, work with the best and deliver the best. The brands we partner with don’t just want more traffic; they want more players, better conversions, and real results. That’s what we do, and that’s why we’re growing so fast.
“We’re scaling internationally, building something huge from a place people wouldn’t expect. No London, no Silicon Valley, just real results, a strong team, and a business that works.”
A quick word
Queen Camilla is to visit Hexham next month. She will carry out a number of engagements before meeting members of the public by walking down Beaumont Street in the afternoon of Thursday June 5. Darlington Building Society CEO Andrew Craddock has announced he is stepping down after successfully leading the business through seven transformational years. He will retire from the role after the AGM next April. A series of escalating costs means St Oswald’s Hospice is on course to lose £1 million this year. The Gosforth-based charity has reserves but chief executive Steph Edusei said: “We cannot maintain that position year on year.” Team GB boxer Georgia O'Connor from County Durham has died aged 25, after a brave battle with cancer. She got married just a few weeks ago. Sunderland City Council has submitted an outline planning application for the £1.9m redevelopment of the Sunniside Leisure buildings in the city centre. North Tyneside Council has begun recruiting for a chief executive to replace Paul Hanson who left to take up a position with the NHS in January. Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth has announced a second year of Project Shield, tackling anti-social behaviour and violence through increased use of uniformed patrols. Gentoo has announced it is to revamp more than 4,000 homes across Sunderland at a cost of £44m.
Alison Clark, Durham County Council’s Director of culture, sport and tourism, who was part of the North East team at UKREiiF in Leeds this week, is to join East Midlands Combined County Authority from mid-June on secondment as Associate Director visitor economy, culture and sport. The RVI in Newcastle has been reaccredited as a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence by The Brain Tumour Charity in recognition of the hospital's research-led, high-quality care for brain tumour patients. Dance City has launched a £4 million fundraising appeal as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, pledging to deliver 40 million minutes of dance experiences across the North East by 2035. Disappointment for Newcastle Eagles who lost 105-74 to Leicester Riders in the Super League Basketball Championship final at the O2 Arena in London. The Come Together music festival at Newcastle Town Moor featuring Robbie Williams and Kings of Leon has been postponed from June until August. NHS bosses have turned down five applications to open new pharmacies in Heaton since the closure of the last two chemists, Newcastle’s Health and Wellbeing Board has been told. The first Great Northern Contemporary Craft & Art Fair Newcastle will take place at Northumbria University from June 20-22. It will bring together more than 100 selected independent makers operating across high-end art, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and furniture.
High-flying project
A revolutionary project that will see drones, robots and a mobile lab transform how rivers and seas are monitored has won £6m in the Water Breakthrough Challenge run by the Ofwat Innovation Fund
In a world-first, the Smart Skies Healthy Waters project will be able to both sample and deliver near lab-grade analysis of coastal and inland water quality on the spot, and in near real-time.
Richard Warneford, Head of Wastewater at Northumbrian Water, said: “This project provides a ground-breaking opportunity to harness new technologies to enable more frequent monitoring of our waterways. It will be a world first and a step change for our sector, helping to ensure healthier waters for our customers, communities and our environment.”
Appetite for more
The first Greggs Breakfast Club started 25 years ago - there are now more than 1,000 operating in UK schools. The Greggs Foundation plans to celebrate the 25-year milestone by introducing after-school and holiday care as well as other crisis support for families through a new programme, Feeding Brighter Futures.
Baltic sale
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead is hosting five days of eco-friendly activities over May half term – including a one-off yard sale on Saturday May 31 where they will be selling ‘pre-loved’ furniture and other specially selected items from the gallery.
2004 ad break
This week we are back to Guinness for a 20-year-old ad based around the Sapeurs, a uniquely elegant group of people from the Congo.
The Sapeurs work as taxi drivers, farmers, and labourers during the day. When night falls, they come alive in bright and colourful clothes and a positive attitude to live out their dreams of not being defined by what they do but by who they are.
Business bites
Vehicle rental and claims management firm Zigup said it expects to finish ahead of market expectations in 2025. The Darlington-based company - formerly Redde Northgate - has seen higher-than-expected demand for its rental products, particularly in Spain. NETPark-based technology firm Filtronic has secured a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to supply satellite components that will help expand global broadband connectivity. Gateshead-based tech company Aspire Technology Solutions has been awarded a Royal Warrant in recognition of its services to the Royal Household. It is one of five North East companies to hold a Royal Warrant - joining Barbour, fly fishing specialist Hardy’s, Belford equine bedding manufacturer Bedmax, and church robes maker J&M Sewing Service. Newcastle’s Hard Rock Cafe closed with debts of £2.68 million, according to documents filed by administrators FRP Advisory. Newcastle-based BEL Valves has launched a dedicated hydrogen and carbon capture department to adapt the company’s proven valve technology for emerging clean energy markets. Darlington-based underwater tech specialists Manta Systems - formerly Modus Subsea - has called in administrators a year after being acquired by global marine services firm PXGEO. Kimberley Turner, CFO and Commercial Director of Middlesbrough-based independent gaming studio, Double Eleven, has joined the board of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum. Deloitte is opening four technology delivery centres across the UK including one in Newcastle where a pilot hub has been operating since last year. The bases are expected to create 750 jobs in the next three years.
THE WIDER VIEW
Cheers, Norm
Sad to hear of the passing of actor George Wendt who for 10 years made us laugh as the overweight accountant Norm Peterson, a regular in the Boston bar Cheers - where everybody knows your name.
The Guardian brought us some of his famous one-line quips. “How’s life treating you Norm?” would get responsed to: “Like it caught me in bed with its wife”, “Like I just ran over its dog” or “Like a baby treats a diaper”. Once, when asked how he’s feeling, he said: “I’m on top of the world… it’s a dismal spot in Greenland somewhere.”
Wendt died aged 76. He was one of only three characters to appear in every one of the 275 episodes of Cheers - the others being Ted Danson (Sam) and Rhear Perlman (Carla).
Reality check
No-one’s stolen our fish. No laws were imposed by Brussels. This is what happens when a grown-up Government tries to fix the mess the last one left behind, says the Byline Supplement.
“For a brief moment, I genuinely wondered if we’d entered into a surprise war with the EU in the few hours I’d been out of signal. The hysteria was that loud. That melodramatic. That unmoored from reality.”
I try not to mention it too often, but I’ve become more than a tad disillusioned by the way the national media serves up ‘news’ these days. So, to help us all cut through the noise, the fantasy, and the fish-fuelled fury, here’s a handy list of FAQs from the Byline Supplement to explain what the UK-EU reset actually does – and what it doesn’t.
Five and alive
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Eyes & Ears is on that same path. Please help by liking, sharing and encouraging friends, family and colleagues to sign up and get this newsletter delivered straight to their inboxes for free every Friday morning.
Thank you. Sorry I must have missed the Community Foundation item. Will be more observant in future!
No mention of the People's Assembly organised by Majority/Jamie Driscoll? No mention of Community Foundation's new strategy and funding? They also make interesting local news.