South Tyneside headlines in 2023: a look back over the year

A round-up of some of the South Tyneside stories covered by the Shields Gazette over the course of 2023

Transcript

00:00 As we approach the end of 2023, here's a look back at some of the stories the Shields Gazette

00:04 has covered over the past year. In January, we reported on Cleedon lass Katie Stubbs who landed

00:09 a dream job on Coronation Street. And sadly, a reflection of the times, a mum collapsed of

00:15 exhaustion and hunger after walking two miles with a pair of toddlers to reach a South Tyneside food

00:20 bank. In February, it was announced that South Tyneside pubs, the Mechanics Arms and Lampton Arms

00:25 would be closing. In March, images were released of a planned state-of-the-art college campus in

00:30 South Shields. In April, South Shields parted company with Kevin Phillips. The Best of South

00:34 Tyneside Awards took place in May. That same month, we revealed Bessie's Sweet Bakes Coffee and Cake

00:41 Van was becoming a celebrity hotspot. Celebrities who'd visited the van included South Shields

00:46 comedian Chris Ramsey, Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall, along with her boyfriend, rapper and

00:51 actor Jordan Stephens, who many of us will remember from Rizzle Kicks, and North Shields rock star Sam

00:57 Fender. In June, we got a first look at new South Shields Italian restaurant and bar Olive Garden.

01:04 July meant prom night for South Tyneside school leavers and South Shields' longest-running tattoo

01:09 studio, Harry's, announced it was set to close after trading on King Street since the 1980s.

01:13 In August, a blue plaque dedicated to Jarrah-born musician John Miles was unveiled. In September,

01:19 we reported on a Hebban woman who hoped to inspire others after losing almost three stone with

01:24 Slimming World. It was revealed too that the derelict Whitburn Lodge site is set to be transformed

01:29 into 32 new homes. And the owners of the former Luciano's restaurant in Sunderland opened a new

01:34 restaurant in Cleden. In November, an Elvis-themed snack bar opened in Jarrah, serving breakfast,

01:40 sandwiches and more. And there was a Christmas treat for one local woman in December after she

01:45 became a millionaire winning the EuroMillions. The lucky winner chose to remain anonymous but

01:49 said she plans to treat her family and make it a lovely Christmas for everyone.

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