Intelligent, informed and witty

The edition usually starts with: ‘It’s what you’ve been missing’. I like that. It works on different levels.

Most people don’t have the time to see, hear and read everything that’s going on, so I provide what many see as a valuable service by presenting a curated round-up of regional news and information, plus The Wider View. Who knows what you will find there on any given Friday, but hopefully you wouldn’t want to miss it either.

Today’s edition starts with the quote above from someone who has pledged to support me and Eyes & Ears. Others have also been in touch:

“The exceptional quality of the journalism makes Eyes & Ears the go-to publication to find out what is really going on, with an additional twist of totally authentic North East story-telling and humour.”

“It’s valuable to have a source of intelligent, thoughtful (and witty) journalism about the region.”

“You bring a fresh and crucially informed perspective to regional reporting.”

“It's so hard to find objective information you can trust, so I am delighted to have found Eyes and Ears.”

I’m grateful to everyone who has pledged their support so far. Before cracking on with today’s edition, (and there’s a brilliant video at the end) can I just ask the rest of you something:

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Review called for

Two weeks ago I told you about the dozen universities and research institutions who were selected to deliver the Government’s £54 million Global Talent Fund aimed at recruiting 60-80 world-class researchers to the UK - but not one university was from the North of England.

The announcement was hailed as an important and welcome step by Dr Annette Bramley, Director of the N8 Research Partnership, but she went on to point out that the N8 universities – Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and York – are globally recognised for research excellence, and instrumental in driving innovation-led growth across the North and the UK as a whole.

The end of the statement signed by The Great North mayors

Dr Bramley’s feelings (Eyes & Ears 25.07.25) have now been echoed by The Great North mayors who have issued a strongly-worded statement expressing their disappointment that some of the UK’s most innovative and high-performing universities have been overlooked.

They called for urgent reform to ensure greater transparency and fairness in how public research and innovation funding is allocated and asked UK Research and Innovation to review their decision.

Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah, chair of the science, innovation and technology committee, has already written to Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance asking for a breakdown of the selection indicators and an explanation of why devolved nations were recognised but the importance of regions within England was not.

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Mining heritage saved

A vital piece of mining heritage will be saved thanks to a £1m grant from English Heritage. The money will go towards repairing the rare heapsteads at Woodhorn Museum where coal was brought to the surface from deep underground.

It is part of a £15m allocation from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund which will help repair 37 sites across England.

North East Museums director Keith Merrin said: “The structures are such an iconic part of Northumberland’s landscape and identity and they stand as powerful symbols of the region’s proud mining legacy.”

Around £860,000 has been allocated to the derelict 19th century Tyre Shop in Sunderland’s Sunniside area to turn it into a community hub. The project is part of a long-term partnership between Historic England, Sunderland City Council and Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust aimed at regenerating the area.

In Newcastle, a grant of £99,000 will fund the transformation of two Grade II listed hobby rooms on the distinctive Byker Wall estate

Karbon Homes will convert the Spires Lane hobby room into a new community hub while St Michael's Mount will become an art studio for creative production and community engagement.

‘Wishful thinking’

Sir Andrew Cook has used his company’s latest accounts to deliver a pointed critique of UK industrial policy, particularly around manufacturing and trade.

The Conservative Party donor who campaigned to Remain, argued that successive administrations have undermined British engineering through poor strategic planning and inconsistent support.

And he dismissed government claims of a manufacturing resurgence as “wishful thinking”, calling them unrealistic and unsupported by policy.

His comments come in the latest accounts for William Cook Holdings, owner of Cook Defence Systems based in Stanhope. The family firm, which is based in Sheffield, produces components for the rail, defence and energy sectors.

Make it Mackem

Tuesday is National Mackem Day and there’s a special evening of live music, spoken word and visual arts at the city’s Sheepfolds Stables - and it’s free.

Hosted by Sunderland Music City in partnership with A Love Supreme and The Mackem Dictionary and Cookbook, the event is part of the wider Sunderland Year of Music, a city-wide celebration featuring over 500 events throughout 2025.

The line-up features a stellar cast of local talent, including Barry Hyde (The Futureheads) David Brewis (Field Music), Sunderland Symphony Orchestra, The Lake Poets, Small Town Brass, Tom A. Smith, This Little Bird, King Ink, Patrick Gosling, Eve Simpson, and Ani Sandwith. All performances will be original works written about – or inspired by – Sunderland.

Sam Wonfor has the full story in Cultured. North East.

Welcome aboard!

London-based shipping insurance specialist UK P&I Club has expanded its UK presence with the opening of an office on Newcastle’s quayside and says it plans to capitalise on the city’s impressive pool of graduate and existing P&I talent.

NorthStandard, which was known as North P&I until a merger in 2023, has been based on the quayside for three decades and its origins go back to 1860.

MD Paul Jennings said: “The North East has a rich history as a global centre for marine insurance, and we welcome the UK P&I Club’s decision to strengthen its local presence in Newcastle. This decision acknowledges the vital role the region’s maritime professionals play in maintaining the flow of world shipping.”

Reform hold

Reform UK’s Louise Penders has increased the party’s majority in a Durham County Council by-election caused by the resignation of a councillor due to ill health. She secured 1,208 votes, with Labour’s Angela Surtees second on 523 and Independent Chris Hood third with 520 votes.

Virtual care

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead is to close a ward for elderly patients. The NHS trust said the decision would enable it to grow its “virtual ward capacity”, which allows patients to be monitored remotely while at home.

Chasing the prize

One of the large-scale artworks created as part of North Shields’ 800th anniversary celebrations is in the running for an international award.

Nina Valkhoff's mural, The Chase, depicting an underwater chase between two gannets and a cormorant, was in top position in the votes for the International Street Art Cities Best of July award. It is competing against 150 murals from Australia to Argentina - and you can vote for it here.

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Stick to the truth

The populist narrative of a migrant-driven crimewave is catnip on social media and oil to the wheels of Reform, says Fraser Nelson, a former editor of The Spectator in a weekend essay for The Times.

“But it is so far from the truth that we’re in danger of losing sight of the country we live in.”

Britain is not descending into lawlessness, despite political rhetoric from the likes of Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick suggesting otherwise. Nelson says the narrative is a political invention not supported by long-term data.

The article drew striking endorsements from Daniel Finkelstein, a columnist always worth listening to, and former Sun editor David Yelland who has since earned credibility as a seasoned voice on media matters.

Mickey taking

How much exaggeration does it take to cross the line from parody to plausible? Not much these days, it would seem.

Sir Michael Take is a pompous, out-of-touch former Tory MP who regularly takes to social media to mock political soundbites, government spin, and media missteps, often with a deadpan delivery that has fooled the Daily Mail and Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 show.

If you called him Mickey rather than Sir Michael you’d quickly realise that his Twitter account is a parody (wonder why it was the Daily Mail who were so quick to quote him - at least Jeremy Vine acknowledged the parody and praised its sharpness)

In an exclusive Bearly Politics interview, Sir Michael shares his thoughts on satire, sourdough, the strange allure of nostalgia, and which politicians secretly enjoy being mocked by a fictional colleague. You may laugh. You may wince. You’ll definitely find yourself agreeing with the man more than once.

As The Bear says, he is both mirror and magnifying glass - a way of looking at British politics that makes the madness feel at least a little bit funny.

Sound of silence

You may remember my outrage that a Top 30 list of the greatest guitar riffs of all time contained two disco tracks (Eyes & Ears 01.08.25).

At least The Telegraph had the sense to revisit their chart after comments and contributions from readers. Their alternative list (not numbered and with five bonus tracks) at least acknowledged the glaring omission of Mark Knopfler first time round.

And it was good to see the Cult (She Sells Sanctuary), Television (Marquee Moon), Guns‘n’Roses (Sweet Child O Mine), Muse (Plug In Baby), Status Quo (Caroline) and Stiff Little Fingers (Alternative Ulster) get the recognition.

But on the subject of disco tracks making it on to their original list, there was only the sound of silence.

Talking of which… if you have never heard Disturbed’s version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic, then you really must listen to this live version. Honestly, you really, really must.

Really.

The Source NE

Eyes & Ears Extra 10.08.25