The People & Places Partnership has been working with Proximity Futures on behalf of North Tyneside Council to guide the short-term recovery and revitalisation of Whitley Bay town centre over the longer-term. This page provides access to up-to-date resources created as part of this work, as well as links to related guidance.
Surveys seeking local stakeholders’ views
Working on behalf of North Tyneside Council and in association with the local Chamber of Trade, People & Places conducted stakeholder surveys of local town centre businesses and customers in Spring 2020. The survey findings are intended to decide future priorities that will help local people and businesses get more out of their town centre. The findings form the basis for wider discussions with local community groups and businesses as part of deciding future priorities for the town centre.
The local business survey received 161 detailed responses from town centre traders. The Whitley Bay town centre users’ survey received a staggering 1,326 responses from customers familiar with the town.
New Cullercoats, Monkseaton & Whitley Lodge customer survey
An additional customers’ survey was undertaken in Spring 2022 to help learn about customers’ use and perceptions as they are welcomed back fully to the neighbouring centres of Cullercoats, Monkseaton & Whitley Lodge in North Tyneside. The survey findings will be used to help understand and determine priorities that help local people get more out of their local shopping areas alongside the town centre.
Recovery to revitalisation in Whitley Bay town centre
To learn more about the work that has gone in to planning the town centre’s revitalisation, you can watch this 5 minute introductory video presentation on recovery to revitalisation in North Tyneside’s town centres.
To see a summary of the survey findings for Whitley and get a sense the next steps leading from this, you can read the illustrated summary revitalising Whitley Bay town centre; a forward framework. You can also visit the page on this web site that provides further national and local background information on planning North Tyneside’s town centre recovery.
Proposals for Cullercoats, Monkseaton & Whitley Lodge will be developed based on the survey results for these neighbouring communities.
National guidance on town centre recovery
This work to welcome back users to Whitley Bay is using the approach developed by People & Places for the Local Government Association’s revitalising town centres toolkit. This toolkit includes practical guidance on post-COVID 19 recovery planning including a case study on People & Places’ support for reopening & revitalising Selby town centre and reopening East Suffolk’s towns.
Find out more about the Shared Prosperity Fund and the opportunities it provides for sharing prosperity across our towns and cities, including how to get hold of our free guide on the Shared Prosperity Fund & its opportunities for communities, place & local business.
Glad to see Whitley Bay has a recovery and revitalisation plan. As visitors this week we have spent several hundred pounds in the area. Retirement means we can spend our disposable income anywhere we choose and unfortunately it won’t be Whitley Bay in the future.
All due to a parking ticket. Yes, we occupied one and a bit spaces (unavoidably) in a council car park due to the length of our camper van so technically bang to rights. Had there been the option to buy two tickets or pay extra for a larger space, we would have been happy to do so. These are not uncommon in other parts of the uk.
A shame for local businesses, pubs, shops and cafes that won’t see anymore of our money but at least the council are £25 better off today, at the expense of future parking revenue.