Lightfoot Sports Stadium, Wharrier Street

1963-5 by Williamson, Faulkner Brown & Partners for Newcastle City Council. The Lightfoot Centre was conceived in the wake of the Wolfenden Report of 1960, which promoted the construction of multi purpose sports centres. When it opened in 1965 its 61m diameter 'flying saucer' dome was the largest in Europe. Its laminated timber ribs were covered in prefabricated reinforced fibreglass panels, cladding that had never been used before on this scale. Beneath the 14m high dome is an expanse of 2,300 square metres. There are two tennis courts and eight badminton courts. Refurbished 1990.