Spanish City restored to former glory
After standing empty for more than 15 years, the Spanish City dome in Whitley Bay has now opened its doors as a leisure hub and I couldn’t wait to check it out on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Renovations started at the Grade II-listed building back in September 2016 and contractors have since restored original features, added new extensions and other facilities so it can be used as a fine dining and leisure venue.
And I have to say it looks beautiful.
The North East’s answer to the “Taj Mahal” (apparently) dates back to 1910, and now has a Champagne bar, traditional tearooms, waffle and pancake house, fish and chip restaurant and takeaway as well as an event space.
North Tyneside Council spent around £4m on the restoration scheme and secured grants of £3.47m from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and more than £2.5m from the Coastal Communities Fund.
I really hope this renovation injects life back into this part of the lovely North East coast.
Steve had never seen the dome and this was number 5 on our Valentine’s dates list; so on a sunny afternoon armed with my new (pre-loved camera) we headed to the coast to check it out and grab some pictures.
Spanish City was in decline for many years but in its glory days it was a top tourist attraction and I think we’re all hoping it regains this status once more.
Both inside and out you can see just how much hard work has been put into the restoration.
The dome is gleaming white once again and stands as a proud beacon looking down on the golden sandy shoreline.
It was great to see so many people – locals and obvious tourists – enjoying themselves inside the building.
We didn’t have anything to eat on this occasion but what we saw looked delicious.
The beach beneath is perfect for families and has lifeguards too.
It wasn’t as busy as I thought it might be – but there’s so much choice for families this summer across the North East with all of the Great Exhibition of the North events taking place.
To the left of Spanish City out toward the sea you can see the iconic St. Mary’s Lighthouse; which is now a visitor centre.
It stands on its own island and features a nature reserve and wetland habitat. It’s well worth a visit.
The first time Steve came up to Newcastle and met my family we went here for the afternoon so it has fond memories for us.
I loved seeing the kite enthusiasts entertaining the small crowds with their impressive skills and tricks.
We had a lovely afternoon walking along the beach and taking in that fresh salty sea air.
As we’d eaten fish and chips for tea the night before we couldn’t leave the seaside without an ice cream so we joined the ever-growing queue at Di Meo’s.
The award-winning ice-cream parlour is always popular but it’s worth the wait.
We didn’t sit inside but instead enjoyed our ice cream’s sat outside.
They offer lots of flavours and different cones but we went with the old faithful – mint chocolate chip for Steve and Belgium chocolate for me. Yummy!
Steve parked a good mile away in a free car park in West Monkseaton so we had a leisurely stroll back to the car to work off those ice-cream calories.
I really hope Spanish City and Whitley Bay itself starts to attract more visitors and further investment.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about lots of the restaurants in the town so I’m sure the hubby and I will be returning soon to check them out.
Where is Spanish City?
Spanish City,
Spanish City Plaza, Whitley Bay,
Tyne and Wear, NE26 1BG
It’s just eight miles east of Newcastle. Not too far away there is also Tynemouth, Cullercoats, North Shields and Wallsend.
If you’d like to find out more about Spanish City and see what events are taking place visit the website here. You can even get married here – imagine those wedding pictures!
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OTHER NORTH EAST RELATED POSTS
Catch up with what fun we had during the first weekend of the summer post.
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See the 5 things I’m looking forward to this summer in this post.
If you’re planning a city break then check out why you should visit Newcastle in my proud Geordie moment as Newcastle named number 1 place to visit in 2018
See what fun we had on our day date at sunny Tynemouth
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I live in Kent, so I don’t get to visit the north east often, but that beach looks lovely for a family trip!
It is lovely. We’ve got some gorgeous coastline up here 😊
That seems lovely! That ice cream looked truly delicious! xx
It was lovely 😊
Beautiful photos!
Thank you 😊
Wow, I’ve never noticed the dome before on my trips to Whitley Bay (probably because they’ve been pretty recent so I’m guessing the construction work was still going on), but it looks beautiful! Very tempted to take another trip over to check it out, and obviously eat more ice cream
Megan // https://pixieskiesblog.wordpress.com
It would’ve been under scaffolding I imagine as it was being revamped for ages 😊
I have seen so much about the Spanish City restoration, I can’t wait to get across and see it myself. I didn’t realise it has a waffle and pancake house as well! 🤤 🖤
Yeah I’ve not had any yet but heard they are delicious! It’s worth a visit over 😊
Loved reading about this cute place, Rachael…..the pictures make the place come alive…..hope you have enjoyed a lot 🙂
Thank you 😊
I visited Whitley Bay from time to time as a kid, so I can remember the Spanish City in its dying days, the fairground still open but very sorry for itself. I’m so glad the council decided to refurbish it, it really is an iconic structure. The champagne bar sounds intriguing as well!
I will have to go back and have some food and champagne haha. There’s still some revamp to go but it’s much nicer than it has been for a long time!!
This looks like a lovely day out! The Spanish City dome looks beautiful and very grand! It’s great that it’s near to the beach too. Yum! Those ice creams look delicious! It looks like a wonderful day and cool you got to enjoy the kite flying too. Thanks for sharing Rachael 💖 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Spanish City looks amazing after having been renovated, wow! And your photos are splendid. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much 😊
I love Whitley Bay and it is so nice that it is being brought back to its former glory. It did look very run down for a number of years. I haven’t been in the dome yet but am really looking forward to seeing inside. I do vaguely remember when it was a fairground. Love your photos
Thank you 😊 it looks so much better now!!
Love the photos, and the shots of the Ice Cream! Looks like a great place to visit.
IT is lovely thank you 🙂
Hi Rachael, one of the best things about blogging is discovering the world right at your fingertips and through the experiences of others. ✌️ Jess || https://www.learningfromstrangers.com
It sounds wonderful and you got to walk off the ice cream being parked a good walk away. Lovely pics too.
It was a good 2 miles so at least burnt the cone off I would say!
Look like a great place to check out. I love it when these places are restored to their former glory instead of knocked down.
It was looking awful for a good few years but it’s back and better than ever!
Wow , that looks stunning and I love it when I see old buildings restored to their former glory …I do miss proper fish and chips not something you get here….Thank you for the follow( I can’t remember whether I have already done that) 🙂 x