Closure of small shops in Benwell 1979

Short news report on the closure of many of Benwell's small independent shops as a result of the development of a large shopping centre, with interviews from local community workers.

[@taniatinn9072]

My dad was Benwell born and bred, these town planners just ripped the heart out of old Benwell

[@neilt7145]

I'm Benwell Born and Bred and what you see there now is shocking. I feel like a stranger in my own country when I go back there now.

[@martinkulkarni3569]

@@neilt7145 Don’t go back then. Wished I could leave this fascist country. Not because of the people you cryptically mention, but because it’s full of people like you! Unfortunately, my wife still, has hope for this country and doesn’t want to leave.

[@Dave-ug9bh]

I used to love going up and down those ramps on my skateboard 😊

[@DrDreggs1]

Typical result of councils not ASKING the people what they ACTUALLY want.

[@TheWeardale1]

@ 0:36 - i got my head stuck in between the planks when i was about 4 years old..

[@neilt7145]

Me too.... Was about 7yr old though...

[@TheWeardale1]

@@neilt7145 was about 1974 for me... not sure what happened in the end, but i lived in suttons dwellings over the road :)

[@neilt7145]

@@TheWeardale1 I lived in Strathmore Cres... Went to Canning St School. Moved to Cliftonville Ave and now live in Ayrshire Scotland but still come down for the home footy games.

[@TheWeardale1]

@@neilt7145 interesting... i lived at suttons dwellings until i was around 4 ('74), then moved to benwell dene terrace, but my uncle lived in clovelly ave until the mid 80s so was often around that area... but i have also moved away and seldom venture to that area now..

[@neilt7145]

@@TheWeardale1 I often come down for the Newcastle home games and park on Western Rd at Grainger park and walk in...

[@th8257]

The 60s through until the late 90s really were grim times in so much of Britain. Industry in Britain had been in decline since the late 1800s. There was a brief upward turn after the war to rebuild the country, but from the 60s onwards, things got worse and worse and unemployment went up steadily. There was also an accompanying surge in crime during that period. It was only really during the Blair government that things started to feel like they were genuinely picking up, but the crash in 2008 and the following austerity put and end to it.

[@robertarmstrong2470]

All the dread that today brings, comes down to Dentons at that time being the competition with greggs. the woman mentioning the subject is what led to where we are now.

[@Jeffybonbon]

planners never listen
they make my blood boil

[@ADZ01982]

Deliberate destruction of a close nit working class Geordie community.

[@pecka2k]

Lets face it tho, it was a shithole back then. If they cant let the shops they get vandalised so what can the council do except flatten them?

[@ADZ01982]

Well the shipbuilding industry was dying and people moved out of these areas.sad really.

[@neilt7145]

@Big Robbie C Was born and bred in Benwell, Strathmore Cres... Went to Canning St School...

[@garyfox8701]

I moved to Benwell in 79 lived in Farndale Road. Spent half my life outside that Ladbrookes and the other half outside the chippy next door to it.
Remember The Dolphin Club anyone?

[@carolinekeenan7582]

Born in Be well lane 1954,we were poor but there was a great community everyone knew all the people who lived on the estate,adelaid terrace was a great shopping centre,once they built the block of flats over from the dwelling the place fell apart like aton of bricks,killed the community

[@swaneknoctic9555]

Who is the Asian looking woman talking wearing the glasses? I would like to talk to her.

[@jontalbot1]

I lived in Benwell in the 80s and as it happens l am a planner although l was not in practice then. People criticising planners do not know what they do or what others do, such as Council Estates offices, property developers or politicians for that matter. People use them as a scapegoat when the real issues are very little to do with planning and planners. The root of the issue is deindustrialisation. Shops are not a social service. If they don’t make money they shut. Simple as. The Shopping Centre was obviously a mistake but it didn’t make things any worse. And without being involved in its development my guess is local councillors wanted it in the hope it might improve things. And don’t be too judgemental- what were they supposed to do? People mostly imagine there are simple solutions to their problems because they have never had to think hard about what it is possible to do.

[@eirin099]

boooyys