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Regional daily's former offices are demolished

A regional daily’s former offices are being demolished to make way for a new cinema and leisure complex.

Work to flatten the former Shields Gazette offices in Chapter Row, South Shields, began over the weekend after the site was acquired by South Tyneside Council in May 2011.

Gazette staff moved into the Chapter Row building, which date back to 1910, before the Second World War.

During the conflict much of the premises was destroyed during an air raid, but production continued regardless.

Shields Gazette office

Present day staff of the Johnston Press-owned title vacated the building for newer facilities on nearby Beach Road in August.

The demolition is part of South Tyneside Council’s £100m regeneration project for South Shields, which will see the site eventually become the new entertainment complex.

A pictorial tribute marking the building’s loss on the Gazette’s website states: “At times the building has survived against the odds.

“Such a day came on 30 September, 1941, when German bombers attacked South Shields. A great portion of the offices were destroyed.

“But despite the attack, the Gazette, the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, was published as usual the afternoon after the raid.

“Over the decades, hundreds of reporters, photographers, sub-editors, wireroom workers, cartoonists and receptionists have worked in the Chapter Row building.”

Demolition of the building is likely to be complete by Christmas.

4 comments

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  • November 17, 2014 at 8:26 am
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    They were lucky. JP have abandoned some towns and dumped staff 10 or 15 miles away in other JP offices. life is local?

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  • November 17, 2014 at 10:01 am
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    It’s quite ironic that the Gazette office is being demolished at the same time its last real Editor John Szymanski is being made redundant. Such a shame.

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  • November 17, 2014 at 11:46 am
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    Great shame, spent five wonderful years in that building as editor…

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  • December 11, 2014 at 11:40 pm
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    Noticed that no mention was made of production staff in the composing room which used to be the backbone of the business. Most of these people were eventually scattered to the four winds due to the introduction of new technology.

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