Whitley Bay, steam laundry

The building started life as a commercial laundry c.1900 and underwent a number of minor changes over the next 60 years. An article in the Shields Daily News 15th February 1899 states 'New Steam Laundries: The directors of the Provincial Laundry Ltd. Have decided to build a new steam laundry at the seaside to supply the needs of North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley and Cullercoats. The laundry will be fitted up with all the most modern appliances, and will be run on the lines of the Low Fell laundry which was recently opened by the same company.' The laundry is last mentioned in Kelly's 1962 trade directory. In 1964-65 the YMCA purchased the building and converted it to create sports and leisure facilities. The building officially opened on the 12th November 1965. When the YMCA sold the building it remained unoccupied and suffered from vandalism. The building was recorded in 2011 ahead of proposed re-development of the site. The laundry building only survived as a shell - no evidence of its internal arrangement could be seen.