Flying start
That was quick. A taskforce has already been set up to fast-track planning, investment and site development for the North East’s AI Growth Zone which was announced by the Government last week.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, who is leading nationally, and co-chair North East mayor Kim McGuinness were at Cobalt Park in North Tyneside on Wednesday to launch the taskforce which brings together British AI firm Nscale, the region’s universities, skills providers and industry leaders.
“We’re backing local talent with the skills and training they need to thrive in the jobs of tomorrow,” said Kendall. “From laying the physical foundations and building data centres to launching careers in AI, this Growth Zone is about creating real opportunities for people right across the region.”
Professor Paul Watson of Newcastle University said: “Over the past six years the National Innovation Centre for Data has collaborated on over 100 AI projects with local companies. These have created over 1,500 new jobs and will add £800m to the regional economy. This shows the huge potential of AI to transform companies of all sizes and across all sectors.”
Sense check
Maybe one of the first things the taskforce could do is help us make sense of the various data centre plans there are - and how they all fit.
Last week’s announcement of the AI Growth Zone (Eyes & Ears 19.09.25) came with the silence over the expected news that Teesworks would be part of that zone.
This week, a £100m data centre for Stockton received planning approval bringing with it 150 jobs and an extra 400 in the supply chain.
Teesside firm Latos says the UK’s first “neural edge” AI data centre will establish the area as a UK leader in digital infrastructure.
Chief executive Mike Carlin said: “Stockton-on-Tees made history 200 years ago when it launched the railway age, transforming the world. Today, we’re making history again by bringing the AI revolution to the same pioneering place.”
Would be reassuring to know that there is a fully joined up plan.
Day to remember
Tuesday was quite a day for Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon. In the morning he chaired the council’s Cabinet meeting where he declared a “landmark moment” as the Gateshead Regeneration Plan was approved.
Later he was at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle as a member of the North East Combined Authority Cabinet which agreed to set up a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for Newcastle and Gateshead aimed at speeding up regeneration on both sides of the Tyne.
Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “What we’re announcing today is the structure that will help to steer us to a new era, starting with the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead. The public don’t want to see partnership structures and collaboration boards – they want to see jobs, high streets and new places to visit.”
Just for the record, the Gateshead Cabinet had earlier endorsed the setting up of a Gateshead Regeneration Programme Partnership Board.
Missing link
Mayor Kim McGuinness and the North East Combined Authority, as expected, approved £10.9m of funding to make sure the Northumberland Park station is completed, providing North Tyneside with its first national rail link in decades. The station is part of the recently opened Northumberland Line but is a key interchange point.
High Street revamp
Manchester property developer Capital & Centric has been chosen by Sunderland City Council to transform the city’s main street into a mixed-use neighbourhood. The company, which is already working on a regeneration scheme in Gateshead, had been brought in to advise on master planning and design of High Street West.
Joint MD John Moffat said: “Our ambition is to create a city neighbourhood that feels characterful, independent and full of life. The mix of homes, green streets and space for locals to do their thing is how we plan to create a lasting community, not just buildings.”
And next door…
TV architect George Clarke has submitted a planning application to convert the grade II listed building at 176 High Street West in Sunderland into George Clarke's Home of Books, a cultural bookshop, cafe and flexible event space described as a 'community living room'.
The upper floors will be turned into a four-bedroom apartment for use by the Washington-born star and his family, as well as being marketed as boutique accommodation for short stays when they are out of town.
Remove the cap
The two-child benefit cap is pushing 109 families a day into hardship, according to a new report published by the Child of the North initiative.
Liz Todd, Professor of Educational Inclusion at Newcastle University, and co-author of Addressing Poverty Update: UK Children Dying Through Poverty, said: “It’s very discouraging to keep seeing what we see every day and at the same time knowing that removing the two child limit will at a stroke bring thousands of children out of poverty.”
Both candidates in the running to be Labour deputy leader are in favour of removing the cap which will put extra pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to address the issue in the Autumn Statement.
Advance halted
The council-owned Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newcastle has cancelled a launch event for a new political party backed by Elon Musk and the right-wing activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who prefers to be known as Tommy Robinson.
Advance UK, led by Former Reform deputy Ben Habib was due to hold a conference for Advance UK at the hotel tomorrow. Opponents got wind and orchestrated what they called a phone blockade.
The hotel later called off the event on health and safety grounds but Habib took to Twitter, which prefers to be known as X, to say that “come hell or high water” the launch will take place in Newcastle on Saturday.
Another disclaimer
Tees Valley Combined Authority’s latest accounts will not receive a clean bill of health after delays linked to the previous year’s financial results.
The authority’s 2023-24 accounts had been expected to be signed off by February, but auditors EY have issued a disclaimer, saying insufficient work had been completed to verify their accuracy.
Group director of finance Jo Moore said she is required to approve both sets of accounts to confirm they are “true and fair”. She described it as unfortunate that work on the earlier accounts is still ongoing, creating a knock-on effect for the current year.
I can hear you
A 45-mile stretch of the East Coast Main Line in rural Northumberland has been cleared of mobile and wi-fi ‘not-spots' thanks to the installation of eight masts between Newcastle and Berwick that will provide a more reliable connection not just for passengers but residents and businesses in the surrounding areas.
Yuk!
South Tyneside Magistrates' Court was forced to close when maggots from rotting seagulls rained down from the ceiling, according to a report detailing issues in the justice system.
The Law Society of England and Wales said underinvestment had left courts struggling as “buildings fall into disrepair, technology fails and cases are delayed”.
In the State of the Courts report, a solicitor described the court in South Shields as a “disgrace” and said it was only able to function due to “the excellent court staff holding everything together”.
A quick word
The Environment Agency is investigating after a long stretch of foam was seen covering the River Skerne in Darlington. Warren Bearpark of the Tees Rivers Trust said similar foam appeared on the river two years ago. “I don't think we ever found out what was causing it or where it came from,” he said. Durham councillor Jack McGlenen has been expelled from Reform UK for his drunken behaviour at an Armed Forces Day event in Seaham on June 28 and will now represent his ward as an independent. A power fault at the Stadler Depot in Gosforth meant there were no Metros running on Tuesday morning. Newcastle Airport is celebrating its busiest ever summer holiday period, during which it welcomed 1.3 million passengers - a 5% rise on last year. The £23m Gateshead Quays car park, planned to service a yet-to-be-built arena and conference centre, will finally become operational on Monday with space for 1,000 cars. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s chief fire officer Peter Heath has announced he will retire next March. The five-star Rockliffe Hall at Hurworth, near Darlington, has announced a multimillion-pound investment in its golf facilities. Newcastle council has granted a licence to allow Greggs stores in Grainger Street and Neville Street to open 24 hours despite concerns from police. The threat of industrial action has ended after hundreds of healthcare assistants at County Durham and Darlington NHS trust accepted an improved pay offer. A date has still to be agreed for a start on the £1.3 billion scheme to dual the A66 from Scotch Corner to Penrith.
Mike’s the head man
Mike Swann, aka ‘Headstand Mike’, made the national news this week as he explained why he thought doing 800 headstands in 800 different places in North Shields before the end of the year was a fitting way to mark the town’s 800th birthday.
A little drink may have been involved back in June when he set the target. But locals loved the quirkiness of it and he has gone viral on social media. Now Mike needs to do five a day for the rest of the year to become a local hero.
‘Trust’ issues
A charity set up to create an athletics track has accused Durham County Council of a “betrayal of trust” after the Reform-led administration rescinded a land deal for 16 acres at the North East Technology Park (NETPark) in Sedgefield.
Council leaders said the land is better suited for industrial use and that an alternative option of an asset transfer of the Shildon Sunnydale stadium will be offered to the East Durham Community Athletics Track (EDCAT) charity.
Cheers Greggs
You’ve got to hand it to Greggs (and Fenwick, to be fair). Whether it’s taking their “Gregory & Gregory” pop-up to a posh food festival, annoying Piers Morgan by launching a vegan sausage roll, collaborating with Primark on a clothing range, or launching a bean bag and cushion collection with Icon, they know how to make a splash in the marketing world.
What have they done now? Only gone and opened a pub. The Golden Flake Tavern, situated inside Fenwick’s flagship Newcastle store, will serve its first pint tomorrow.
High Life North magazine reports: “The Golden Flake Tavern promises a quintessential British pub experience reimagined with a signature menu featuring a Greggs twist. Brimming with 15 unique Greggs-inspired traditional pub dishes, curated by Fenwick executive head chef, Mark Reid, from light snacks and classic mains to rustic sharing boards and hearty puds.”
Items on the menu include: chicken bake parmo, steak bake mixed grill, and sausage roll and mash. Draft beers The Pink Jammie Pale Ale, and the Gosforth 1939 Stottie Lager have been crafted in collaboration with local brewery Full Circle Co - and there’s even a cabinet of nostalgic board games available.
Neigh bother
Music, memories and North East-soaked storytelling are promised as Billy Mitchell and Bob Fox prepare to start a new tour, From The Horse’s Mouth this autumn. Sam Wonfor caught up with them both.
Their tour begins in Blyth on October 16, before heading to Hexham, Bishop Auckland, Gateshead, Saltburn, Otley, Cullercoats, and beyond. It’s an itinerary that reflects both their North East roots and their wider appeal, taking in intimate clubs and theatres alike.
And Shildon too
Lumiere, which sees landmarks and buildings lit up in intricate artistic designs, will return to Durham for the ninth time between November 13 and 15. Installations will also be placed in Shildon as it celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Kielder start
Kielder Forest will be the starting point for Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge in aid of Children in Need.
The exact route for her 135-mile challenge - the equivalent of five marathons in five days - has not been announced but it will see her run, jog and walk through Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, with an appropriate ending at Pudsey, Leeds on November 14.
Business bites
A collection of entrepreneurs are behind a new North East private equity firm, Founders Private Capital (FPC), which is headed up by Ravi Sharma, ex Deloittes and a partner at Perwyn. Newcastle-based biotech spin-out Atelerix, which has developed a gel that allows cells, blood or tissues to be stored and shipped at room temperatures, is looking to scale up and expand globally. Darren Jobling, CEO of Newcastle tech company Zerolight, expects to see rising revenues and profits after completing a “pivotal” restructure of the business. Sunderland-based renewables firm OnPath Energy is looking to grow after reporting a “very encouraging” set of results. Orchard Street Investment Management has paid £40m for Newcastle Shopping Park in Byker on behalf of a pension fund. New accounts for crane manufacturer Liebherr's North East operation show that the Sunderland plant slipped into the red following a drop in demand. Founder Amy Mooney has secured pre-seed funding for her business Mutha Cuva from regional female investment firm Lifted Ventures and nine angel investors to scale its subscription-based platform for heat pump servicing. Multi-service utility provider Everflow has reported strong growth for the first half of 2025 as it continues to scale its services across the UK. Durham planning committee has approved plans by Banks Group for new student apartments and an Asda Express at Mount Oswald. Professional services firm AMS Group has acquired Newcastle-based accountancy practice BW Medical which serves more than 2,000 healthcare professionals and in excess of 100 GP practices across the UK. Former North East LEP colleagues Colin Bell and Jen Robson have set up a consultancy called Fellshore to help businesses turn strategy into measurable impact.
1990 ad break
If you like the humour in films such as Airplane and Naked Gun then you’ll love this ad for Red Rock cider from the early 90s starring Leslie (“I am serious… and stop calling me Shirley”) Neilsen.
The Taunton Cider Company wanted to launch a new brand and felt they needed a bold advertising campaign to stand out in a crowded market.
Naked Gun, which was based on the TV series Police Squad, had just been a surprise hit with Neilsen the star in both as the hilariously incompetent and accident prone Lt Frank Drebin.
The ad agency came up with the strapline: “It’s not red, it’s got no rocks, and it doesn’t taste like cider.” This is the first in a series of successful ads and, as you will see, the cider company took cold feet at the last minute to saying out loud that their cider didn’t taste like cider.
“It’s not red and there are no rocks in it” worked even better however. As for Red Rock itself, the sales were good - but only when the ad campaign was running. The brand was ‘retired’ in the mid 1990s.
THE WIDER VIEW
Knock knock, who’s there?
BBC Breakfast was on the TV but I wasn’t really watching it. Then my ears detected a North East accent. I looked over and wondered who the man sitting on the red sofa was.
Obligingly, the person in charge of BBC captions at that moment flashed up: ‘Rowan McCabe. Door-to-door poet’ - and I thought I need to find out more.
It turns out that the reason Rowan was chatting on the famous sofa is because he has a book out called, not unsurprisingly, The Door-to-Door Poet.
He began by knocking on doors in Newcastle, waiting 45 seconds, and if someone answered, he’d perform a short introductory poem. He’d then chat with them about whatever mattered in their lives, go away, and return with a bespoke poem - always free of charge. He describes it as “a bit like the Avon lady, but with rhymes.”
Backed by Arts Council England, he’s since travelled far beyond the streets of his home city. His project has given voice to people whose stories rarely make it into verse - from bereaved parents and refugees to patients in palliative care. He sees his role as less about performance and more about listening, recording, and gifting back a piece of someone’s life in poetic form.
You can read his interview with Big Issue here - there’s also a chat he had with Anna Foster on BBC Radio Newcastle here.
On your radar
With Russian pilots increasingly losing their bearings when near NATO airspace, it’s maybe reassuring to know that Cobra Warrior, a three-week multinational warfighting exercise is taking place right now, co-ordinated from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.
It is a regular exercise, I should add. People living in Durham and North Yorkshire may well have noticed the increase in aircraft thundering by in the past week or so and the RAF has confirmed that some flying will continue into the evenings and weekends until Cobra Warrior ends on October 3.
An RAF spokesperson said: “Cobra Warrior is a crucial opportunity for the UK and its partners to strengthen cooperation, develop tactics and ensure readiness in multinational air operations. We thank local communities for their patience and understanding.”
Shocking stats
One in three female students say they have endured sexual harassment during their time at university or college, with most of it taking place around campus, according to data published by England’s higher education regulator.
The results showed that nearly one in five women also experienced sexual assault or violence during their time as a student.
The findings from the Office for Students (OfS) survey of more than 50,000 final-year undergraduates were described as “a national scandal” and suggest that the rate of sexual harassment and assault is worse than among students in other countries.