THE PANDEMIC has hit council car park revenue hard, with some North East authorities making £9 million less in 2020 than in previous years. A combined total of £4.1 million was made across the three highest-earning car parks in each council area in 2020 including Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North […]
Newcastle
Crown courts backlog at critical level during pandemic, inspectors say
THE pandemic has caused a sharp rise in the backlog of crown court cases, with Newcastle leading in the North East with over 1,600 cases still waiting to be heard, an SR News investigation has found. DATA from freedom of information request (FOI) shows how in January 2020, Newcastle Crown […]
Cat owners may face fines up to £500 if they fail to microchip their cats
CAT owners may face fines of up to £500 if they fail to microchip their cats. The new law is being introduced to stamp out thefts and illegal breeding of cats. There are around 290,000 pet cats in the North- East, making up the 10 million pet cats in the […]
Wildflowers sown on unused council land and car parks converted into gardens during Earth Month
BY PLANTING RAISED beds with flowers and vegetables in car parks, and sowing wildflowers on unused council land, local businesses and allotment owners across the North East are joining the fight against climate change during Earth Month. Earth Month takes place in April every year to raise awareness of climate […]
‘Selfie Central is the perfect place for influencers, content creators or even for a fun day out with families and friends’
SELFIE Central has landed in Newcastle City Centre. Described as an “experiential pop-up selfie studio,” it is the first of its kind in the North- East. It opened on 15 April, and has already attracted a large number of customers visiting every day. Located inside The Gate, in Newcastle’s City […]
Newcastle streetwear brand celebrates 10 years of trading
REDSTAR Clothing marks decade ‘in the game’ with dedicated collection. OPERATING from their South Shields HQ, streetwear brand, Redstar Clothing are celebrating a 10-year milestone with a dedicated collection paying homage to their first ever designs, which will be available from April 29. Over the past decade, Redstar defined themselves […]
Pandemic helps reduce number of University withdrawals
The number of undergraduate students dropping out of university before the end of their first term has fallen, despite the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the higher education sector. Despite speculation that there would be a mass exodus of students due to the pandemic’s impact on university life. […]
Demand for North East allotments soars throughout pandemic as gardening enthusiasts seek solace in lockdown
ALLOTMENT waiting lists have tripled in some areas of the North East with “massive demand” for “safe havens” during the pandemic. Over 3.5 times as many green-fingered enthusiasts in Darlington have applied to the waiting lists of three allotment sites in 2021 (274) compared to 2018 (76). The highest average […]
“My experience would’ve been completely different if I wasn’t trans” – Charity trustee shares his story of discrimination when accessing homeless services
FAZ Bukhari was just 24 when he first became homeless in 2016 and turned to his local authority for help. However, instead of being greeted with a safe space, he told SR News that he experienced misgendering and discrimination. “I got called to the front and I almost felt criminalised […]
Newcastle allotment holders devastated after greenhouses smashed and sheds broken into
DEVASTATED allotment holders in Newcastle are “shocked” and “heartbroken” after vandals broke into sheds and smashed greenhouses. Many of the members of Greenwater Pool Allotments group in Jesmond Vale have carefully tended to their plots for many years, but this recent act of vandalism is the worst they have seen. […]