Central Lower Promenade

The Central Lower Promenade at Whitley Bay opened June 6th 1914 to the design of Mr A J Ronsell. This was due to the increased numbers of people taking day trips and holidays to the coast. In 1910 a new railway station was erected as well as an expansion in the number of hotels, tearooms and other recreational facilities such as Spanish City. Works were carried out by Mr Davidson of Newcastle for £3750 with labour from shipyard and engineering workers unemployed during the Depression. The promenade was built to offer protection and improvement to the Links. It was originally 2953m long and contained a central shelter to accommodate 600 people with a terrace on its roof. The complex was intended to be the first installment of what was planned to be an extensive promenade. The Lower Promenade suffered more severe tidal damage in 1925. Between 1960 and 1990 most of the original shop fronts were replaced and a brick frontage was added as a replacement in a number of bays. The business units of the promenade gradually fell out of use and into disrepair in line with the decline of British Seaside Resorts. The last business moved out c.2005. Soon after the concrete sea wall at beach level was deemed unsound and was replaced in brick. However, the decision has since been taken to demolish the promenade. A record of the structure was made by NAA in 2015. Features of particular interest internally included the original public toilets, a large safe and surviving original windows.