8:43AM, Fri Jun 22, 2012

£1m Rockliffe Viaduct Revamp To Stop Anti-Social Behaviour And Boost Tourism

By Jenny Wotherspoon Location: Whitley Bay

Yobs Out, Tourists In: Recapturing Whitley Bay's Glory Days

An 80-year old viaduct in Whitley Bay is having a £1m facelift to help prevent anti-social behaviour and revive the town's shattered tourist industry.

The Rockliffe Viaduct, which supports the main seafront path of the Southern Promenade, was once a focal feature of the popular tourist spot.

Now the viaduct has become a gathering place for the young people of Whitley Bay and a hub for anti-social behaviour.

Built above a mine, it has also weakened with age, and now presents a potential health and safety problem for North Tyneside Council.

They hope that filling in two of the arches and covering them with stone walling will not only strengthen the structure, but also deter badly behaved youths.

North Tyneside Council's Highways and Infrastructure Manager said of the viaduct renovation: "It generally complements the work that we are trying to do here in Whitley Bay.

"We want to see it return to the thriving seaside resort it once was."

Further Regeneration: Artist's Impression Of Spanish City Renovation

The project is part of a wider regeneration of Whitley Bay which the Council hope will revive the city's image and reputation.

Improvements to the coastline have already been undertaken and work has begun on a number of venues including the Spanish City.

The Council are hoping to secure further funding to renovate the central promenade, which would include removing the dilapidated sea wall and returning it to a landscaped embankment.

While tourism in the borough is still worth £243m and supports over 3700 jobs, North Tyneside Council want to recapture the livelier beach resort of the past.

The Council's regeneration team say they hope Whitley Bay will once again become "a tourist destination of choice."

Archive footage from Northern Region Film & Television Archive (NRFTA)