North East England
Encyclopedia
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England
. It covers Northumberland
, County Durham
, Tyne and Wear
, and Teesside
(including parts of North Yorkshire
). The only cities in the region are Durham
, Newcastle upon Tyne
and Sunderland
. Other large settlements in the region include: Darlington
, Gateshead
, Hartlepool
, Middlesbrough
, Redcar
, South Shields
, Stockton-on-Tees
. The region is home to three UK conurbations: Teesside
, Wearside
, and the largest Tyneside
which is the sixth most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom.
, in the Cheviot Hills
, at 815 metres (2,674 ft).
As well as its urban centres of Tyneside
, Wearside
and Teesside
the region is also noted for the richness of its natural beauty. Northumberland National Park
, the region's coastline, its section of the Pennines
including Teesdale
and Weardale
provides evidence for this. It also has great historic importance, the evidence of which is seen in Northumberland's Castles, and the two World Heritage Sites of Durham Cathedral
and Durham Castle
and of Hadrian's Wall
. St. Peter's Church
in Monkwearmouth
, Sunderland along with St. Pauls in Jarrow
also hold significant historical value. They have a joint bid to become a World Heritage Site. The region's strong religious past can also been seen in works such as the Lindisfarne Gospels
.
The shipbuilding industry that once dominated both Sunderland (once the largest shipbuilding town in the world) and Tyneside suffered a marked decline during the second half of the twentieth century. Tyneside is now re-inventing itself as an international centre of art and culture and, through The Centre For Life, scientific research (especially in stem cell
technology) and popular nightlife, in areas such as the Quayside or The Gate. After suffering economic decline during the last century, Sunderland is becoming an important area for quaternary industry, science and high technology. The economy of Teesside
is largely based on the petrochemical
and steel industries. Northumberland and County Durham, both being largely rural
, base much of their economies on farming and tourism.
In May 2005, the 'Passionate people. Passionate places.' regional image campaign was launched to promote North East England as a great place in which to work, study, visit and invest.
The friction match
was invented in Stockton-on-Tees
in 1826 by John Walker
.
consists of the following subdivisions:
Key: * = metropolitan county
The Association of North East Councils
(former North East Assembly
until 2009) is based in central Newcastle upon Tyne.
, Tyne and Wear
, County Durham
and Cleveland
. As part of a reform of local government, Cleveland has since been abolished and several unitary districts created.
The region is now considered to consist of four distinct 'sub-regions':
A referendum in November 2004 as to whether a directly-elected regional assembly should be set up for North East England resulted in a decisive "no" vote. The total number of people voting against the plans was 696,519 (78%), while 197,310 (22%) voted in favour.
Deputy Prime Minister of that time, John Prescott, admitted his plans for regional devolution had suffered an "emphatic defeat". Conservative spokesman for the regions Bernard Jenkin said the vote would mean the end of plans for a North East Assembly. He told the BBC: "The whole idea of regional government has been blown out of the water by this vote".
containing a number of rare species
of flora
and fauna
. Of particular importance are the saltmarshes of Lindisfarne
, the Tees Estuary
, the heaths
, bog
s and traditional upland hay meadows of the North Pennines
, the distinctive Arctic-alpine flora of Upper Teesdale, the Farne Islands
(which contain rare seabird
s such as the Roseate Tern
) and the magnesian limestone
grasslands of East Durham - a habitat found nowhere else in the world.
The North East also features woodland such as Kielder Forest
, the largest man-made forest in Europe. This is located within Northumberland National Park
and contains an important habitat for the endangered red squirrel
. The region is the English stronghold of black grouse and contains 80-90% of the UK population of yellow marsh saxifrage.
A recently created site for bird watching is Rainton Meadows
.
the former council district with the highest rate. The top-tier authority with the lowest rate is Northumberland and the council district with the lowest rate was the former Tynedale
in Northumberland.
in England, and, as measured by the Indices of deprivation 2007
, it has a significantly higher percentage of Lower Layer Super Output Areas in the 20% (quintile
) most deprived districts than the 20% least deprived districts in England - with the highest percentage of LSOAs in deprived areas in England, with North West England
then Greater London
being the next highest. However only Greater London has a smaller percentage of areas in the 20% least deprived districts than the North East.
The most deprived council districts in 2007, before County Durham and Northumberland became unitary authorities and as measured by the LSOA data, in the region are, in descending order – Easington (district)
(7th in England), Middlesbrough (9th), Hartlepool (23rd), Wear Valley
(33rd), Sunderland (35th), Newcastle upon Tyne (37th), South Tyneside (38th), Wansbeck
(46th), Redcar and Cleveland (50th), Gateshead (52nd), Sedgefield (borough)
(54th), Derwentside
(73rd), Blyth Valley
(80th), and Stockton on Tees (98th).
The least deprived council districts in 2007 were, in descending order – Tynedale
, Castle Morpeth
, Teesdale (district)
, then Alnwick (district)
. These four districts ceased to exist in April 2009. At a county level, which is now the case as the North East now contains no district councils since 2009, Northumberland is the least deprived, followed by North Tyneside.
Unemployment is a severe problem in the North East, leading to many children growing up in workless households (where no adult works). Easington has the highest rate in the country, with 40.3% of households with children having no working adult, followed by Sedgefield with 34%.
In March 2011, it was found that the region has the highest overall unemployment claimant
rate in England, with 5.0%, and second in the UK to Northern Ireland (5.2%). Inside the region, the highest unemployment rate is Middlesbrough with 7.7% (the second highest in England), followed by Hartlepool with 7.4%, Redcar and Cleveland
on 6.4%, the former Wansbeck
district with 6.1%, and South Tyneside
with 6.0%. The lowest claimant count is in the former district of Tynedale
(2.0%).
and Stockton South, and the Lib Dems have Berwick-upon-Tweed
and Redcar
At the 2009 European election
, Labour got 25%, the Conservatives 20%, the Lib Dems 18%, and UKIP 15%.
cuts through the region with stops at Newcastle, Durham
and Darlington
, providing fast connections to London and Edinburgh. The region is also served by the Durham Coast Line
which connects Sunderland, Hartlepool
and Middlesbrough
with the main line. East Coast
, based in York
and the only current nationalised railway company in the UK, has services along the full length of the ECML, to Edinburgh and beyond and is the operator of most of the stations on the route. Grand Central Railway since December 2007 has linked Sunderland, and Teesside with London, being non-stop from York onwards; it does not have electric trains and uses the Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line and Durham Coast Line
. Local services along these lines, and most other local routes in the North East are provided by Northern
, based in Manchester. First TransPennine Express
, also based in Manchester, have long-distance services from Newcastle and Middlesbrough to Manchester, via West Yorkshire
.
The Tyne and Wear Metro
is a light rail network which serves the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, with stations in both Newcastle and Sunderland city centres, other towns and suburbs in the county, as well as at Newcastle Airport
and other attractions such as the St James' Park
, Stadium of Light
, and Gateshead International Stadium
, mirror the railway trajectory. However, north of Morpeth
, the A1 is single carriageway. The Tyne Tunnel
was opened as a single-carriageway in 1967, and a new tunnel, built alongside, was opened in February 2011. The A1 Newcastle Western Bypass was completed in the early 1990s. The A66
connects Teesside
with Darlington. The A68
takes a cross-country central route over the North Pennines
and Cheviot Hills
to Scotland, often following the Roman road
Dere Street
.
, accessed via the A187 from the Tyne Tunnel. DFDS
operate two ferries a day to Amsterdam
and, until 1 September 2008, one a day on the Stavanger
- Haugesund
- Bergen
route.
located north of the city near Ponteland
and Durham Tees Valley Airport
located east of Darlington
.
is required to produce a Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) to provide long term planning for transport in the region. This involves region wide transport schemes such as those carried out by the Highways Agency
and Network Rail
.
Within the region the local transport authorities plan for the future by producing Local Transport Plans (LTP)
which outline their strategies, policies and implementation programmes. The most recent LTP is that for the period 2006-11. In the North East region the following transport authorities have published their LTP online: Darlington
, Durham
, Hartlepool
, Middlesbrough
, Northumberland
, Redcar and Cleveland
, Stockton-on-Tees
and Tyne and Wear
.
per capita in England
, and second lowest in the United Kingdom
only behind Wales
. The economy was for several decades unusually highly focused on two industries, ship building and coal mining
(in Durham
and Northumberland
; hence the phrase taking coals to Newcastle
. UK Coal
is about to start surface mining at Steadsburn near Widdrington Station and Stobswood
in Northumberland.
The former regional electricity company Northern Electric
is now managed by CE Electric UK
, based in Penshaw.
Land use in County Durham and Northumberland is agricultural in the majority. North East Ambulance Service
is based just west of the A1 Newcastle bypass, north of the Tyne near Newburn
and Blaydon
, also the home of NHS North East
and the local regional development agency
- One NorthEast
. The Great North Air Ambulance
, based in Penrith and Durham Tees Valley also includes Cumbria
. The region's Business Link
(BLNE) has been based since October 2007 at Dawdon
, south of Seaham
on the A182
.
This is a table showing the trend in regional gross value added
(GVA) at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
, ICI
was next to Wilton
on a huge site between Eston
and Redcar
, and also in Billingham
. Petroplus
refine oil at the Port Clarence
(formerly Teesside) Refinery
. Teesport
is the second busiest port in the country. Hartlepool has a nuclear power station, and there is a gas turbine power station
and a CHP power station
on the ICI Wilton site. The area at Wilton and Teesmouth is a vast chemicals processing site, and has recently diversified into being the UK's leading site for (renewable) biofuel research. Purdey's
and Amé
were made by Britvic
in Hartlepool (former Orchid Drinks) until February 2009, when production was moved to Chelmsford
in Essex.
Huntsman Tioxide has a large plant at Greatham
that makes titanium dioxide
, and its European headquarters are in Billingham. Aldous Huxley
's visit to the former ICI plant in Billingham inspired him to write Brave New World
. The Billingham Manufacturing Plant
now makes fertiliser for Growhow (owned by Kemira
of Finland and CF Industries
, former Terra, of the USA), using 1% of the UK's natural gas. Marlow Foods
make Quorn
and KP Snacks
make McCoy's Crisps in Billingham. Santander UK
has its mortgages division in Thornaby-on-Tees
. Corus Group
makes steel on Teesside, notably Redcar, and makes pipes in Hartlepool. Tetley Tea
have had their only tea bag factory in the UK at Eaglescliffe
, in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees, since 1969. It is the largest tea bag
factory in the world, making 18 billion tea bag
s a year. The distribution centre is at nearby Newton Aycliffe
in County Durham.
until 2006 made ships in Wallsend
, but still designs ships. Scottish & Newcastle
was the largest UK-owned brewery until April 2008 when it was bought by Heineken and Carlsberg, and has the Newcastle Federation Brewery in Dunston
, which produced Newcastle Brown Ale
; production moved to Tadcaster
in September 2010. De La Rue
have their largest banknote printing facility at Team Valley
. Offshore Group Newcastle make oil platform
s. The government's child benefit
office is in Washington
, which lost two data discs in 2007. Northern Rock
, which became a bank in 1997, is based in Gosforth
and there is the Newcastle Building Society
. Greggs
, the bakers, is in Gosforth
. Findus
UK until 2009 was based on the Balliol Business Park in Longbenton
, home of P&G
's detergent technical centre and one of its global business centres, and a tax credit
s call centre for HMRC. The previous Government National Insurance
Contributions Office (demolished and replaced in 2000) in Longbenton had a 1 miles (1.6 km) long corridor. There is also Be-Ro
and the large Go-Ahead Group
bus company is in central Newcastle. Nestlé
have a chocolate factory in Fawdon
. The MetroCentre, the largest shopping centre in Europe, is in Dunston
. BAE Systems Land and Armaments
(former Vickers-Armstrongs) on Scotswood Road in Scotswood
is the main producer of British tanks, such as the Challenger 2.
Siemens
make steam turbine
s at the CA Parsons Works
in South Heaton
, Newcastle. Sir Charles Parsons
invented the steam turbine in 1884, and he developed an important local company. Domestos (sodium hypochlorite) was originated in Newcastle in 1929 by William Handley, and distributed from the area for many years. Barratt Developments
is in Benwell
, Newcastle, and Bellway plc
is in Seaton Burn
in North Tyneside
. The Sage Group
, who make accounting software
are based in Newcastle. J. Barbour & Sons
make outdoor clothing in South Shields
.
Evans Halshaw, the car dealership
, is in Sunderland. Also in Sunderland, between North Hylton
and Washington
on an old airfield
, is a car factory owned by Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd
and the outdoor clothing company, Berghaus
, in Castletown. Smith Electric Vehicles
, the world's leading manufacturer of electric vehicles originated in Washington. Liebherr
build cranes next to the Wear at Deptford. Vaux Breweries
, who owned Swallow Hotels
, closed in 1999. ScS
Sofas are on Borough Road. There are many call centres in Sunderland, notably EDF Energy
at the Doxford International Business Park
, home of the headquarters of Arriva
, the large international transport company, and Nike UK
.
with the Lynemouth Power Station
next door. Hammerite
and Cuprinol
are made by ICI Paints
in Prudhoe
. Procter & Gamble
in Seaton Delaval
have a main factory making aftershave (Hugo Boss
) and hair dye (Clairol
and Nice 'n Easy
). The site was formerly owned by Shultons, who originated Old Spice
, and were bought by P&G in 1990.
has a site at Barnard Castle
that makes pharmaceuticals
. KP Snacks
(owned by United Biscuits
) make Phileas Fogg snacks
in Consett
. Black & Decker
used to have a large factory at Spennymoor
but production was moved to the Czech Republic
in 2002. Electrolux
closed its cookers factory there in 2008, with production moving to Poland
. Northumbrian Water
is in Pity Me
, Framwellgate Moor
. Since 2007 RF Micro Devices
(RFMD) have made electronic wafer
s on the Heighington Lane Business Park at Newton Aycliffe
, with the site formerly owned by Fujitsu
before 1999.
Darlington stayed relatively un-industrialised throughout the 20th century with finance and manufacturing being the main elements of its economy. Today Darlington is recognised for its railways more than anything as the first steam-hauled public passenger railway in the world was constructed through the town. Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
which is responsible for the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and Tyne Bridge
is still based in Darlington. The Orange mobile network provider also has a large site in Darlington. Argos and Aldi have major national depots in Darlington. Cummins
, an American engineering company, also has a large site in Darlington. The town centre continues to develop into a successful retail hub for the region with a large new £110m shopping centre, 'The Oval', on the way in the next few years. The national safeguarding authority has set up its national office here, which vets people on jobs for vulnerable people. The Student Loans Company has recently set up in Lingfield Point
, and Magnet Kitchens
is in Lingfield
in the east of the town. Darlington's economy is one of the most improving in the country.
, there are first schools, such as Archibald First School, which have no years 5 nor 6, and therefore educate children up to the age of 8 and 9.
s but with a number of private and independent schools found in Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Stockton and Northumberland in particular.
There are around 125,000 at secondary schools in the region - the lowest in England, with the next lowest being the East Midlands
. The truancy
at its schools is a mixed picture, with it having the second highest overall rate for urban areas, after Yorkshire and the Humber
. However for rural areas, it has the lowest overall truancy rate in England. Inside the region Middlesbrough has the highest rate with 7.2% persistent truants, which is the second highest in England after Manchester (7.3%). Next highest is Newcastle upon Tyne, with 6.4%, then the former district of Wansbeck
, with 6.3%
At GCSE
level, the region performs similar to other largely urban areas although generally results are below the national average. Middlesbrough generally performs the worst with average results well below the national average for England. LEAs in the North East have improved (comparatively) at GCSE in recent years. Newcastle, and Hartlepool are the next lowest. In 2010, Durham performed the best, with (in order) Darlington, Gateshead, Northumberland, and South Tyneside also above the England average.
The better schools at GCSE tend to be faith schools, including St Thomas More RC
in Blaydon
, Emmanuel City Technology College
(a selective independent state school) in Gateshead, All Saints C of E School in Ingleby Barwick
, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
in Hartlepool, St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College
in Lanchester, County Durham
, and the Carmel RC Technology College
in Darlington. Other well performing schools in the region include Whitley Bay High School
the Macmillan Academy
in Middlesbrough, Park View Community School
in Chester-le Street, and the Hurworth School
near Darlington. All Northumberland schools have a sixth-form along with a three-tier system
of education. Many schools in the area (especially in Teesside, Sunderland and South Tyneside) do not have a sixth form. Middlesbrough and Newcastle have the most people that pass no GCSEs.
At A-level, local education authorities in the north east are improving, but produce results substantially below other areas of the England. In 2010, Sunderland performed the best, with consistently good results, followed by Darlington which are both some way above the England average (and unrepresentative of most areas in the North East). Darlington
is particularly noted for Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
, which is one of the most highly rated colleges in England. Sunderland and its catholic schools all do reasonably well at A level, similar to other catholic schools in the area. Newcastle was also above the England average and Stockton on Tees produced results just over the England average. Newcastle does significantly better at A-level than GCSE, and is consistently improving, and conversely Gateshead does much worse at A-level than GCSE, with the second lowest A-level results in the region in 2009, slightly better than Middlesbrough. South Tyneside had in previous years been consistently the worst performing LEA
at A-level in the region.
The independent and private schools in the area perform highly. Dame Allan's Schools, The King's School, Tynemouth
, Royal Grammar School
(NRGS) and Durham School
are all members of the prestigious The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The Central Newcastle High School
in addition to the Royam Grammar School were named in the top 100 independent schools nationally in 2006. Durham School is considered to be one of the oldest schools in the UK, and it's Old Boys were the founding members of the original Newcastle Falcons
Rugby club. Finally, the highly exclusive Mowden Hall preparatory School is situated in Northumberland, and is noted for getting many pupils into top UK public schools. The private schools out-perform the state schools in the urban areas. In the region, school children from Northumberland are most likely to attend university, followed by Stockton on Tees and North Tyneside.
and New College Durham
.
level the North East contains a number of internationally acclaimed universities. These include Durham University
, the third oldest university in England and often ranked among the ten leading UK universities; Newcastle University, a member of the Russell Group
, and the newer universities of Northumbria University
, University of Sunderland
and Teesside University, which was voted Best University in the United Kingdom in 2009 at the Times Higher Education awards. There are no higher education colleges in the region.
The main university in the region is Newcastle University. It offers the broadest range of courses and has the largest research budget. The next largest university, by funding, is Durham University which has a research grant of about 70% that of Newcastle's, and fairly large compared to many universities. For total income, Newcastle again gets the most, followed by Durham, with Sunderland having the least.
Over 50% of students in the region come from the region, and around 35% are from other regions. At first degree level, around 55% are from the North of England (around 30% are from the region). The transfer of students across the region's boundary is mostly a net import of students, as few students in the region go elsewhere (due to the distances involved). 80% of students native to the region study in the North of England, with Yorkshire and the Humber
being more popular than the North West
, and around 55% staying in the region. A higher proportion of students in the region, compared to elsewhere in England, come from so-called low participation neighbourhoods; Durham University has the least from these neighbourhoods. Northumbria University
has the most students, followed by Teesside University. Durham University has the fewest total students.
Once graduated, almost 60% will stay in the region, with 10% each going to either Yorkshire or London. Both these areas are accessible via the East Coast Main Line
.
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
. It covers Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, and Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
(including parts of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
). The only cities in the region are Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
. Other large settlements in the region include: Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
, South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
. The region is home to three UK conurbations: Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
, Wearside
Wearside
Wearside is an area of north east England, centred on the continuous urban area formed by Sunderland, Seaham and other settlements by the River Wear. Mackems is a nickname used for the people of Wearside....
, and the largest Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
which is the sixth most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom.
Geography and early history
Generally the region is hilly and sparsely populated in the North and West, and urban and arable in the East and South. The highest point in the region is The CheviotThe Cheviot
The Cheviot is the highest summit in the Cheviot Hills in the far north of England, only 2 km from the Scottish border. It is the last major peak on the Pennine Way, if travelling from south to north, before the descent into Kirk Yetholm....
, in the Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
, at 815 metres (2,674 ft).
As well as its urban centres of Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
, Wearside
Wearside
Wearside is an area of north east England, centred on the continuous urban area formed by Sunderland, Seaham and other settlements by the River Wear. Mackems is a nickname used for the people of Wearside....
and Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
the region is also noted for the richness of its natural beauty. Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1030 km² between the Scottish Border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall. It is one of the least populated and least visited of the National Parks...
, the region's coastline, its section of the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
including Teesdale
Teesdale
Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...
and Weardale
Weardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
provides evidence for this. It also has great historic importance, the evidence of which is seen in Northumberland's Castles, and the two World Heritage Sites of Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
and Durham Castle
Durham Castle
Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. It is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students...
and of Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
. St. Peter's Church
St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth
St Peter's Church is the parish church of Monkwearmouth in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It is one of three churches that make up the Parish of Monkwearmouth; the others being All Saints Church and St Andrew's Church, Roker....
in Monkwearmouth
Monkwearmouth
Monkwearmouth is an area of Sunderland located at the north side of the mouth of the River Wear. It was one of the three original settlements on the banks of the River Wear along with Bishopwearmouth and Sunderland, the area now known as the East End. It includes the area around St. Peter's Church...
, Sunderland along with St. Pauls in Jarrow
Jarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
also hold significant historical value. They have a joint bid to become a World Heritage Site. The region's strong religious past can also been seen in works such as the Lindisfarne Gospels
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated Latin manuscript of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the British Library...
.
Economic history
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
technology) and popular nightlife, in areas such as the Quayside or The Gate. After suffering economic decline during the last century, Sunderland is becoming an important area for quaternary industry, science and high technology. The economy of Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
is largely based on the petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
and steel industries. Northumberland and County Durham, both being largely rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
, base much of their economies on farming and tourism.
In May 2005, the 'Passionate people. Passionate places.' regional image campaign was launched to promote North East England as a great place in which to work, study, visit and invest.
The friction match
Match
A match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...
was invented in Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
in 1826 by John Walker
John Walker (inventor)
John Walker was an English chemist who invented the friction match.-Life and work:Walker was born in Stockton-on-Tees in 1781. He went to the local grammar school and was afterwards apprenticed to Watson Alcock, the principal surgeon of the town serving him as an assistant-surgeon...
.
Local government
The official regionRegions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
consists of the following subdivisions:
| Map | Ceremonial county | Unitary authority | Metropolitan districts |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1. Northumberland Northumberland Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region... |
||
| Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972... * |
2. Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... , 3. Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw, Dunston and Low Fell.It is bordered... , 4. North Tyneside North Tyneside The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall.... , 5. South Tyneside South Tyneside South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north... , 6. Sunderland City of Sunderland The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough... |
||
| Durham County Durham County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington... |
7. Durham | ||
| 8. Darlington Darlington (borough) Darlington is a local government district and borough in North East England. In 2008 it had a resident population of 100,500 It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east.-Council:Traditionally part of... |
|||
| 9. Hartlepool Hartlepool (borough) Hartlepool is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of County Durham, north east England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 90,161. It borders the non-metropolitan county of County Durham to the north, Stockton-on-Tees to the south and Redcar and Cleveland to the south-east along the... |
|||
| 10. Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees (borough) Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and borough in the Tees Valley area of north east England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates.... (North of River Tees) |
|||
| North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest... (part only) |
10. Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees (borough) Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and borough in the Tees Valley area of north east England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates.... (South of River Tees) |
||
| 11. Redcar and Cleveland Redcar and Cleveland The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees... |
|||
| 12. Middlesbrough Middlesbrough (borough) -External links:*... |
|||
Key: * = metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
The Association of North East Councils
Association of North East Councils
The Association of North East Councils is a partnership body made up of representatives of local authorities in North East England. In April 2009 it assumed the role of the regional Local Authority Leaders’ Board following the abolition of the North East Assembly. -External links:**...
(former North East Assembly
North East Assembly
North East Assembly was the regional assembly for the North East England region of the United Kingdom. It was abolished in March 2009 with its functions being transferred to One NorthEast, the Regional Development Agency, and the Association of North East Councils, the Local Authority Leaders’...
until 2009) is based in central Newcastle upon Tyne.
Recent history
The region was created in 1994 and was originally defined as NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
and Cleveland
Cleveland, England
Cleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly...
. As part of a reform of local government, Cleveland has since been abolished and several unitary districts created.
The region is now considered to consist of four distinct 'sub-regions':
- County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
(plus DarlingtonDarlingtonDarlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
) - NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
- Tyne and WearTyne and WearTyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
- TeessideTeessideTeesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
(formerly part of ClevelandCleveland, EnglandCleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly...
, now associated with North YorkshireNorth YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
)
A referendum in November 2004 as to whether a directly-elected regional assembly should be set up for North East England resulted in a decisive "no" vote. The total number of people voting against the plans was 696,519 (78%), while 197,310 (22%) voted in favour.
Deputy Prime Minister of that time, John Prescott, admitted his plans for regional devolution had suffered an "emphatic defeat". Conservative spokesman for the regions Bernard Jenkin said the vote would mean the end of plans for a North East Assembly. He told the BBC: "The whole idea of regional government has been blown out of the water by this vote".
Biodiversity
The region has a rich natural heritage, its diverse landscape includes maritime cliffs and extensive moorlandMoorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
containing a number of rare species
Rare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
of flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Of particular importance are the saltmarshes of Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
, the Tees Estuary
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
, the heaths
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s and traditional upland hay meadows of the North Pennines
North Pennines
The North Pennines is the northernmost section of the Pennine range of hills which runs north-south through northern England. It lies between Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east...
, the distinctive Arctic-alpine flora of Upper Teesdale, the Farne Islands
Farne Islands
The Farne Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Northumberland, England. There are between 15 and 20 or more islands depending on the state of the tide. They are scattered about 2.5–7.5 km distant from the mainland, divided into two groups, the Inner Group and the Outer Group...
(which contain rare seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s such as the Roseate Tern
Roseate Tern
The Roseate Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details....
) and the magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone can refer to:* For the rock made of magnesium carbonate ie Magnesian limestone see dolomite or dolostone* For the traditional name of a specific suite of Permian age rocks in north-east England see Magnesian Limestone...
grasslands of East Durham - a habitat found nowhere else in the world.
The North East also features woodland such as Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest is a large forestry plantation in Northumberland, England, surrounding the reservoir Kielder Water. It is the largest man-made woodland in Europe...
, the largest man-made forest in Europe. This is located within Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1030 km² between the Scottish Border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall. It is one of the least populated and least visited of the National Parks...
and contains an important habitat for the endangered red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
. The region is the English stronghold of black grouse and contains 80-90% of the UK population of yellow marsh saxifrage.
A recently created site for bird watching is Rainton Meadows
Rainton Meadows
Rainton Meadows is a nature reserve just to the east of East Rainton, Sunderland, north-east England. The reserve, which covers 60 ha, and the adjacent Joe's Pond Site of Special Scientific Interest, are managed by Durham Wildlife Trust.-Information:...
.
Demographics
Although the North East region has the lowest rate of HIV infection in the UK , it has the highest rate of heart attacks for men, and for lung cancer for women in England (just below Scotland), and the highest lung cancer rate for men in the UK. It has the joint highest birth rate for women under 20 in the UK (with Wales). It also has the highest youth unemployment (ages 16–24) in the UK, and the second highest trade union membership for men (after Northern Ireland). For English students in higher education, those for the North East are most likely (72%) to pick a university in their home region; Scotland is the highest with 95% staying in their home country. The North East also has the highest proportion of Christians in the UK.Teenage pregnancy
By region, the North East has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in England. Inside the region, the top-tier authority with the highest rate is Hartlepool, with EasingtonEasington (district)
Easington was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in eastern County Durham, England. It contained the settlements of Easington, Seaham, Peterlee, Murton, Horden, Blackhall, Wingate and Castle Eden...
the former council district with the highest rate. The top-tier authority with the lowest rate is Northumberland and the council district with the lowest rate was the former Tynedale
Tynedale
Tynedale was a local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. It had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census, and was named after the River Tyne . Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe...
in Northumberland.
Social deprivation
The region has the most multiple deprivationMultiple deprivation index
The Index of Multiple Deprivation is a UK government statistical study of deprived areas in UK local authorities.The first study covers seven aspects of deprivation...
in England, and, as measured by the Indices of deprivation 2007
Indices of deprivation 2007
The Indices of deprivation 2007 is a Deprivation index at the small area level, created by the British Department for Communities and Local Government and released on June 12, 2007...
, it has a significantly higher percentage of Lower Layer Super Output Areas in the 20% (quintile
Quintile
Quintile may refer to:*Income quintiles, a division of households by income into five quantiles*Quintiles, a biotechnology research company based in the United States...
) most deprived districts than the 20% least deprived districts in England - with the highest percentage of LSOAs in deprived areas in England, with North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
then Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
being the next highest. However only Greater London has a smaller percentage of areas in the 20% least deprived districts than the North East.
The most deprived council districts in 2007, before County Durham and Northumberland became unitary authorities and as measured by the LSOA data, in the region are, in descending order – Easington (district)
Easington (district)
Easington was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in eastern County Durham, England. It contained the settlements of Easington, Seaham, Peterlee, Murton, Horden, Blackhall, Wingate and Castle Eden...
(7th in England), Middlesbrough (9th), Hartlepool (23rd), Wear Valley
Wear Valley
Wear Valley was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in County Durham, England. Its council was based in Crook.The district covered much of the Weardale area. In the west it was parished and rural, whereas in the east it was more urban...
(33rd), Sunderland (35th), Newcastle upon Tyne (37th), South Tyneside (38th), Wansbeck
Wansbeck
Wansbeck was a local government district in south-east Northumberland, England. Its main population centres were Ashington, Bedlington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea....
(46th), Redcar and Cleveland (50th), Gateshead (52nd), Sedgefield (borough)
Sedgefield (borough)
Sedgefield was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district and borough in County Durham, in North East England. It had a population of about 87,000 . It was named after Sedgefield; but its largest town was Newton Aycliffe...
(54th), Derwentside
Derwentside
Derwentside was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in County Durham, England.The district took its name from the River Derwent, which made up part of the northern border of the district. Its main towns were Consett and Stanley, with the district council offices on Consett's Medomsley...
(73rd), Blyth Valley
Blyth Valley
Blyth Valley was a Local government district and borough in south-east Northumberland, England, bordering the North Sea and Tyne and Wear. The two principal towns were Blyth and Cramlington...
(80th), and Stockton on Tees (98th).
The least deprived council districts in 2007 were, in descending order – Tynedale
Tynedale
Tynedale was a local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. It had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census, and was named after the River Tyne . Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe...
, Castle Morpeth
Castle Morpeth
Castle Morpeth was a local government district and borough in Northumberland, England. Its administrative centre was the town of Morpeth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Morpeth and Morpeth Rural District, along with part of Castle Ward Rural District.The...
, Teesdale (district)
Teesdale (district)
Teesdale was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in County Durham, England. Its council was based in Barnard Castle and it was named after the valley of the River Tees....
, then Alnwick (district)
Alnwick (district)
Alnwick was a local government district of Northumberland, England. Its council was based in Alnwick town and the district had a population of 31,029 according to the 2001 census....
. These four districts ceased to exist in April 2009. At a county level, which is now the case as the North East now contains no district councils since 2009, Northumberland is the least deprived, followed by North Tyneside.
Unemployment is a severe problem in the North East, leading to many children growing up in workless households (where no adult works). Easington has the highest rate in the country, with 40.3% of households with children having no working adult, followed by Sedgefield with 34%.
In March 2011, it was found that the region has the highest overall unemployment claimant
Jobseeker's Allowance
Jobseeker's Allowance is a United Kingdom benefit, colloquially known as the dole . It is a form of unemployment benefit paid by the government to people who are unemployed and seeking work. It is part of the social security benefits system and is intended to cover living expenses while the...
rate in England, with 5.0%, and second in the UK to Northern Ireland (5.2%). Inside the region, the highest unemployment rate is Middlesbrough with 7.7% (the second highest in England), followed by Hartlepool with 7.4%, Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
on 6.4%, the former Wansbeck
Wansbeck
Wansbeck was a local government district in south-east Northumberland, England. Its main population centres were Ashington, Bedlington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea....
district with 6.1%, and South Tyneside
South Tyneside
South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north...
with 6.0%. The lowest claimant count is in the former district of Tynedale
Tynedale
Tynedale was a local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. It had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census, and was named after the River Tyne . Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe...
(2.0%).
Elections
The North East is a strongly Labour-voting area. 43% of the electorate voted Labour in the 2010 election, with 23% each voting Conservative and Liberal Democrat. Apart from Labour's virtual domination, the Conservatives have HexhamHexham (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 2000s :- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1980s :- Elections in the 1970s :-Notes and references:...
and Stockton South, and the Lib Dems have Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
and Redcar
Redcar (UK Parliament constituency)
Redcar is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
At the 2009 European election
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
, Labour got 25%, the Conservatives 20%, the Lib Dems 18%, and UKIP 15%.
Transport
Rail
The East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
cuts through the region with stops at Newcastle, Durham
Durham railway station
Durham railway station serves the city of Durham on the East Coast Main Line. The railway station is managed by East Coast. Despite its small functional capacity the station is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line and is called at by many intercity services travelling the route.The travel...
and Darlington
Darlington railway station
Darlington railway station, also known as Darlington Bank Top, is the main railway station for the town of Darlington, in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The station is located on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross....
, providing fast connections to London and Edinburgh. The region is also served by the Durham Coast Line
Durham Coast Line
The Durham Coast Line is the name given to the railway line which links Newcastle upon Tyne with Middlesbrough, via Sunderland and Hartlepool...
which connects Sunderland, Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
with the main line. East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
, based in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and the only current nationalised railway company in the UK, has services along the full length of the ECML, to Edinburgh and beyond and is the operator of most of the stations on the route. Grand Central Railway since December 2007 has linked Sunderland, and Teesside with London, being non-stop from York onwards; it does not have electric trains and uses the Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line and Durham Coast Line
Durham Coast Line
The Durham Coast Line is the name given to the railway line which links Newcastle upon Tyne with Middlesbrough, via Sunderland and Hartlepool...
. Local services along these lines, and most other local routes in the North East are provided by Northern
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
, based in Manchester. First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
, also based in Manchester, have long-distance services from Newcastle and Middlesbrough to Manchester, via West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
The Tyne and Wear Metro
Tyne and Wear Metro
The Tyne and Wear Metro, also known as the Metro, is a light rail system in North East England, serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. It opened in 1980 and in 2007–2008 provided 40 million public journeys on its network of nearly...
is a light rail network which serves the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, with stations in both Newcastle and Sunderland city centres, other towns and suburbs in the county, as well as at Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
and other attractions such as the St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
, Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
, and Gateshead International Stadium
Gateshead International Stadium
Gateshead International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The stadium is primarily set up for athletics, with a running track, but it is home to Gateshead Thunder rugby league club, Gateshead Senators American Football and Gateshead FC. It has also held a...
Road
The two main arterial carriageways, the A1 and the A19A19 road
The A19 is a major road in England running approximately parallel to and east of the A1 road, although the two roads meet at the northern end of the A19, the two roads originally met at the southern end of the A19 in Doncaster but the old route of the A1 was changed to the A638. From Sunderland...
, mirror the railway trajectory. However, north of Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, the A1 is single carriageway. The Tyne Tunnel
Tyne Tunnel
The Tyne Tunnel is a the name given to two two-lane toll vehicular tunnels under the River Tyne in North East England. Completed in 1967 and 2011 respectively, they connect the town of Jarrow on the south bank of the river with North Shields and Howdon on the north...
was opened as a single-carriageway in 1967, and a new tunnel, built alongside, was opened in February 2011. The A1 Newcastle Western Bypass was completed in the early 1990s. The A66
A66 road
The A66 is a major road in northern England which in part follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria...
connects Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
with Darlington. The A68
A68 road
The A68 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Darlington in England to the A720 in Scotland.From Darlington, the road runs north, bypassing Bishop Auckland, and running through West Auckland, Toft Hill and Tow Law, past Consett and Corbridge...
takes a cross-country central route over the North Pennines
North Pennines
The North Pennines is the northernmost section of the Pennine range of hills which runs north-south through northern England. It lies between Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east...
and Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
to Scotland, often following the Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
Dere Street
Dere Street
Dere Street or Deere Street, was a Roman road between Eboracum and Veluniate, in what is now Scotland. It still exists in the form of the route of many major roads, including the A1 and A68 just north of Corbridge.Its name corresponds with the post Roman Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Deira, through...
.
Sea
There is a ferry terminal at North ShieldsNorth Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
, accessed via the A187 from the Tyne Tunnel. DFDS
DFDS
DFDS is a Danish shipping company. It is one of the world's largest ferry operators. The companies name is an acronym of Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab DFDS is a Danish shipping company. It is one of the world's largest ferry operators. The companies name is an acronym of Det Forenede...
operate two ferries a day to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and, until 1 September 2008, one a day on the Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
- Haugesund
Haugesund
is a town and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.-Location:Haugesund was separated from Torvastad as a town and municipality of its own in 1855. The rural municipality of Skåre was merged with Haugesund on January 1, 1958. Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km²...
- Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
route.
Air
The two main airports are Newcastle AirportNewcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
located north of the city near Ponteland
Ponteland
Ponteland is a village situated in Northumberland near Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The name means island in the Pont , as the area consisted of a small piece of solid ground around St. Mary's church and the old bridge, surrounded by marshland. This marshland is now drained, with housing built on...
and Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport is an international airport in north east England, located southeast of Darlington, about southwest of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham and parts of North Yorkshire, and is in Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington...
located east of Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
.
Transport policy
As part of the national transport planning system, the Regional AssemblyRegional Assemblies in England
The Regional Assemblies of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies established originally under the name Regional Chambers by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. They were abolished on 31 March 2010 and replaced by Local Authority Leaders’ Boards...
is required to produce a Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) to provide long term planning for transport in the region. This involves region wide transport schemes such as those carried out by the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
and Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
.
Within the region the local transport authorities plan for the future by producing Local Transport Plans (LTP)
Local Transport Plan
Local transport plans, divided into full local transport plans and local implementation plans for transport are an important part of transport planning in England...
which outline their strategies, policies and implementation programmes. The most recent LTP is that for the period 2006-11. In the North East region the following transport authorities have published their LTP online: Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
, Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
and Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
.
Economy
The North East region has the lowest GVAGross value added
Gross Value Added ' is a measure in economics of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy...
per capita in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and second lowest in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
only behind Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The economy was for several decades unusually highly focused on two industries, ship building and coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
(in Durham
Durham Coalfield
The Durham Coalfield is a coalfield in north-east England. It is continuous with the Northumberland Coalfield to its north. It extends from Bishop Auckland in the south to the boundary with the county of Northumberland along the River Tyne in the north, beyond which is the Northumberland...
and Northumberland
Northumberland Coalfield
The Northumberland Coalfield is a coalfield in north-east England. It is continuous with the Durham Coalfield to its south. It extends from Amble in the north to the boundary with County Durham along the River Tyne in the south, beyond which is the Durham Coalfield.The two contiguous coalfield...
; hence the phrase taking coals to Newcastle
Selling coal to Newcastle
Selling, carrying or taking coal to Newcastle is an idiom of British origin describing a foolhardy or pointless action. It refers to the fact that historically, the economy of Newcastle upon Tyne in north-eastern England was heavily dependent on the distribution and sale of coal—by the time the...
. UK Coal
UK Coal
UK Coal plc is the largest coal mining business in the United Kingdom. The Company is based in Harworth, in Nottinghamshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
is about to start surface mining at Steadsburn near Widdrington Station and Stobswood
Widdrington Station and Stobswood
Widdrington Station is a village in the county of Northumberland, England. It has about 2300 residents. As its name suggests it has a railway station which is on the East Coast Main Line. It is located about north east of Morpeth, the county town...
in Northumberland.
The former regional electricity company Northern Electric
Northern Electric
Northern Electric was an electricity supply and distribution company serving north east England.-History:It had its origins as the North Eastern Electricity Board, formed as part of the nationalisation of the electricity industry by the Electricity Act 1947....
is now managed by CE Electric UK
CE Electric UK
Northern Powergrid Holdings Company is an electrical distribution company based in Newcastle Upon Tyne in England...
, based in Penshaw.
Land use in County Durham and Northumberland is agricultural in the majority. North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in North East England, covering the counties of County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear and the boroughs of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and...
is based just west of the A1 Newcastle bypass, north of the Tyne near Newburn
Newburn
Newburn is a semi rural village, parish, electoral ward and former urban district in western Tyne and Wear, North East England. Situated on the banks of the River Tyne, it is built rising up the valley from the river...
and Blaydon
Blaydon
Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
, also the home of NHS North East
NHS North East
NHS North East is a strategic health authority of the National Health Service in England. It operates in the North East region, which is coterminous with the local government office region....
and the local regional development agency
Regional Development Agency
In the United Kingdom, a regional development agency is a non-departmental public body established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of one of England's Government Office regions. There is one RDA for each of the NUTS level 1 regions of England...
- One NorthEast
One NorthEast
One North East is the regional development agency for the North East England region.-History:It was established in April 1999. The North East receives a lot of government aid for regeneration....
. The Great North Air Ambulance
Great North Air Ambulance
The Great North Air Ambulance Service is an English charity based in the United Kingdom. It provides air ambulance services across the North of England from the Scottish border south to North Yorkshire in the east and Cumbria in the west. It currently operates two helicopters, one near Penrith,...
, based in Penrith and Durham Tees Valley also includes Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. The region's Business Link
Business Link
Business Link is a government-funded business advice and guidance service in England. It consists of an online portal managed by HMRC, local/regional advisors and a national helpline.-History:...
(BLNE) has been based since October 2007 at Dawdon
Dawdon
Dawdon is a former pit community to the south of Seaham, County Durham, in England. An area of the beach near Dawdon was used in the opening scenes of the film Alien 3.- History :...
, south of Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
on the A182
A182 road
The A182 begins on the A194 motorway between Gateshead and Washington. Though it is a non-primary route it takes the form of a fast grade-separated dual carriageway passing through the New town of Washington from the A194, before meeting at a roundabout with the A183 in Shiney Row.During this dual...
.
This is a table showing the trend in regional gross value added
Gross value added
Gross Value Added ' is a measure in economics of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy...
(GVA) at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
| Year | Regional Gross Value Added | Agriculture | Industry | Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 27,437 | 225 | 9,104 | 18,106 |
| 2002 | 31,167 | 228 | 9,416 | 21,433 |
| 2005 | 36,204 | 211 | 10,367 | 25,625 |
| 2007 | 40,916 | 278 | 11,120 | 28,250 |
Teesside
In TeessideTeesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
, ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
was next to Wilton
Wilton, Redcar and Cleveland
Wilton is a small village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.-Geography:It is located between Redcar and Eston at the base of Eston Hills - to the east of Eston Nab. The village is noted for its golf course and castle, Wilton...
on a huge site between Eston
Eston
Eston is a town within the Unitary Authority of Redcar and Cleveland, England. Within the Middlesbrough agglomeration it falls inside the Greater Eston initiative...
and Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
, and also in Billingham
Billingham
Billingham is a town in the unitary authority of Stockton on Tees, in north east England, with a population of 35,765 . It was founded circa 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people, which is where the name Billingham is thought to have originated...
. Petroplus
Petroplus
Petroplus Holdings AG is Europe's largest independent oil refiner.-History:When the company first formed in 1993 it was known as Petroplus International N.V. being based in the Netherlands. In 1997, it acquired the Antwerp N.V. Refinery from the Daewoo Group. In August 1998, it was listed on the...
refine oil at the Port Clarence
Port Clarence
Port Clarence is a small village now within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tees, and hosts the northern end of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge.-History:...
(formerly Teesside) Refinery
Teesside Refinery
The Conocophillips oil and gas Refinery, sometimes referred to as Teesside Refinery, is situated just south of Seaton Carew on the River Tees in north east England....
. Teesport
Teesport
Teesport is a large sea port located in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire in north east England...
is the second busiest port in the country. Hartlepool has a nuclear power station, and there is a gas turbine power station
Teesside power station
Teesside Power Station is a partially mothballed gas-fired power station, in Redcar & Cleveland, England. Situated near the Wilton chemical complex, the station has combined cycle gas turbines and open cycle gas turbines , however in 2011 the operation of the CCGT part of the station was suspended...
and a CHP power station
Wilton Power Station
The Wilton power stations refers to a series of coal, oil, gas and biomass fired CHP power stations which provide electricity and heat for the Wilton International Complex, with excess electricity being sold to the National Grid. It is located on the Wilton site in Redcar and Cleveland, south of...
on the ICI Wilton site. The area at Wilton and Teesmouth is a vast chemicals processing site, and has recently diversified into being the UK's leading site for (renewable) biofuel research. Purdey's
Purdey's
Purdey's is a soft drink produced by Orchid Drinks Ltd. which is owned by Britvic. It is sold in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Holland and Belgium...
and Amé
Amé
Amé is a soft drink manufactured by Orchid Drinks Ltd, a subsidiary of Britvic. There are several flavours but none contain sugar. It comprises fruit juices and herbal extracts and is usually sold in 1-litre glass bottles. A television advertising campaign for Britvic, voiced by actor Tony Clarkin,...
were made by Britvic
Britvic
Britvic plc is a British producer of soft drinks. It is the number two soft drinks producer in the UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
in Hartlepool (former Orchid Drinks) until February 2009, when production was moved to Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
in Essex.
Huntsman Tioxide has a large plant at Greatham
Greatham, County Durham
Greatham is a village and civil parish in the borough of Hartlepool and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. Greatham village is located approximately three miles south of Hartlepool town centre.- History :...
that makes titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6, or CI 77891. Generally it comes in two different forms, rutile and anatase. It has a wide range of...
, and its European headquarters are in Billingham. Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
's visit to the former ICI plant in Billingham inspired him to write Brave New World
Brave New World
Brave New World is Aldous Huxley's fifth novel, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Set in London of AD 2540 , the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology and sleep-learning that combine to change society. The future society is an embodiment of the ideals that form the basis of...
. The Billingham Manufacturing Plant
Billingham Manufacturing Plant
The Billingham Manufacturing Plant is a large chemical works based in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees. In agricultural terms, it is one of the most important factories in Britain.-Brunner Mond:...
now makes fertiliser for Growhow (owned by Kemira
Kemira GrowHow
Kemira GrowHow is a fertilizer producer headquartered in downtown Helsinki, Finland. Its products are sold in over 100 countries but it has market stronghold in Northern Europe. Most of the revenue comes from Western Europe, particularly from the UK and Ireland . Kemira Growhow was a division of...
of Finland and CF Industries
CF Industries
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. is a North American manufacturer and distributor of agricultural fertilizers, based in Deerfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago....
, former Terra, of the USA), using 1% of the UK's natural gas. Marlow Foods
Premier Foods
Premier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
make Quorn
Quorn
Quorn is the leading brand of mycoprotein food product in the UK and Ireland. The mycoprotein used to produce Quorn is extracted from a fungus, Fusarium venenatum, which is grown in large vats....
and KP Snacks
KP Snacks
KP Snacks is a British producer of branded and own-label maize and potato based snacks, "Choc Dips" and nuts. The KP originally stood for Kenyon Produce. The company is based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England....
make McCoy's Crisps in Billingham. Santander UK
Santander UK
Santander UK plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish Santander Group. Based in the United Kingdom, it operates under the name of Santander. Santander is the third largest bank in the UK in terms of deposits, the second largest in terms of mortgages held, and the fourth largest in terms of...
has its mortgages division in Thornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-on-Tees is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees, three miles southeast of Stockton-on-Tees, and four miles southwest of Middlesbrough town centre and has a...
. Corus Group
Corus Group
Tata Steel Europe is a multinational steel-making company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the second-largest steel-maker in Europe and is a subsidiary of Tata Steel of India, one of the ten largest steel producers in the world.Corus Group was formed through the merger of Koninklijke...
makes steel on Teesside, notably Redcar, and makes pipes in Hartlepool. Tetley Tea
Tetley
Tetley, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages , is the world's second largest manufacturer and distributor of tea. Owned by India's Tata Group, Tetley's manufacturing and distribution business is spread across 40 countries and sells over 60 branded tea bags...
have had their only tea bag factory in the UK at Eaglescliffe
Eaglescliffe
Eaglescliffe is a small town in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the north bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in County Durham. The bridge at Eaglescliffe on the border with Yarm marked the last crossing point of tidal section of the River Tees...
, in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees, since 1969. It is the largest tea bag
Tea bag
A tea bag is a small, porous sealed bag containing tea leaves and used for brewing tea. Tea bags are commonly made of paper, silk or plastic. The bag contains the tea leaves while the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves, and performs the same function as a tea infuser...
factory in the world, making 18 billion tea bag
Tea bag
A tea bag is a small, porous sealed bag containing tea leaves and used for brewing tea. Tea bags are commonly made of paper, silk or plastic. The bag contains the tea leaves while the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves, and performs the same function as a tea infuser...
s a year. The distribution centre is at nearby Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe is a town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1947 under the New Towns Act of 1946, it is the oldest new town in the north of England.-Geography:...
in County Durham.
Tyne and Wear
Swan HunterSwan Hunter
Swan Hunter, formerly known as "Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson", was one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the world. Based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the early 20th century — most famously, the RMS Mauretania which...
until 2006 made ships in Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, but still designs ships. Scottish & Newcastle
Scottish & Newcastle
Scottish & Newcastle plc was a "long alcoholic drinks" company with positions in 15 countries, including UK, France and Russia. It was headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. In the last 20 years, S&N expanded significantly from its home base to become an international business with beer...
was the largest UK-owned brewery until April 2008 when it was bought by Heineken and Carlsberg, and has the Newcastle Federation Brewery in Dunston
Dunston, Tyne and Wear
Dunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...
, which produced Newcastle Brown Ale
Newcastle Brown Ale
Newcastle Brown Ale is a beer produced by Heineken International. It was introduced in 1927 by Newcastle Breweries. In 2005, brewing was moved out of Newcastle upon Tyne for the first time, to Dunston on the other side of the River Tyne, and in 2010 moved entirely to Tadcaster, North Yorkshire...
; production moved to Tadcaster
Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
in September 2010. De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
have their largest banknote printing facility at Team Valley
Team Valley
Team Valley is a traditionally heavily industrial area of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. More recently it has become home to the 'Retail World' retail park, which makes up just a small percentage of the entirety of the Team Valley Trading Estate...
. Offshore Group Newcastle make oil platform
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
s. The government's child benefit
Child benefit
Child benefit is a social security payment disbursed to the parents or guardians of children. Child benefit is means-tested in some countries.-Australia:...
office is in Washington
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
, which lost two data discs in 2007. Northern Rock
Northern Rock
Northern Rock plc is a British bank, best known for becoming the first bank in 150 years to suffer a bank run after having had to approach the Bank of England for a loan facility, to replace money market funding, during the credit crisis in 2007. Having failed to find a commercial buyer for...
, which became a bank in 1997, is based in Gosforth
Gosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
and there is the Newcastle Building Society
Newcastle Building Society
The Newcastle Building Society is a UK building society that has its head office in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is a member of the Building Societies Association.-History:...
. Greggs
Greggs
Greggs plc is the largest specialist retail bakery chain in the United Kingdom. It was established in the 1930s as a single shop but has approximately 1,500 outlets....
, the bakers, is in Gosforth
Gosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
. Findus
Findus
Findus is a company that produces and retails frozen food. Its products include Crispy Pancakes, which were invented in the early 1970s.- Origins :...
UK until 2009 was based on the Balliol Business Park in Longbenton
Longbenton
Longbenton is a district of North Tyneside, England. It is largely occupied by an extensive estate originally built as municipal housing by Newcastle City Council in the 1950s and 1960s. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro stations Longbenton Metro station and Four Lane Ends Metro Station...
, home of P&G
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
's detergent technical centre and one of its global business centres, and a tax credit
Working tax credit
The Working Tax Credit is a state benefit in the United Kingdom made to people who work on a low income. It is a part of the current system of refundable tax credits introduced in April 2003 and is a means-tested social security benefit...
s call centre for HMRC. The previous Government National Insurance
National Insurance
National Insurance in the United Kingdom was initially a contributory system of insurance against illness and unemployment, and later also provided retirement pensions and other benefits...
Contributions Office (demolished and replaced in 2000) in Longbenton had a 1 miles (1.6 km) long corridor. There is also Be-Ro
Be-Ro
-History:The Company was founded by Thomas Bell as a grocery and tea company in Longhorsley north of Newcastle in 1875. Thomas had experimented with rising agents on flour in baking and from that produced the world's first self-raising flour. He founded the Bells Royal works which sold the Bell's...
and the large Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
bus company is in central Newcastle. Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
have a chocolate factory in Fawdon
Fawdon
Fawdon is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is close to the A1 western bypass. The population of the ward is 10,890, 5.7% of the total population of Newcastle upon Tyne...
. The MetroCentre, the largest shopping centre in Europe, is in Dunston
Dunston, Tyne and Wear
Dunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...
. BAE Systems Land and Armaments
BAE Systems Land and Armaments
BAE Systems Land & Armaments is a subsidiary of BAE Systems Inc. and is responsible for the design, development and production of combat vehicles, ammunition, artillery systems, naval guns and missile launchers. It is the largest such company in the world...
(former Vickers-Armstrongs) on Scotswood Road in Scotswood
Benwell and Scotswood
Benwell and Scotswood is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. The ward encompasses the Benwell and Scotswood housing areas, as well as the Newcastle Business Park, which is located on the banks of the River Tyne and houses offices of companies such as British Airways and...
is the main producer of British tanks, such as the Challenger 2.
Siemens
Siemens Power Generation
Siemens Power Generation, Inc is a power generation company based in the United States run by the German Siemens AG Corporation.SPGI was formed by the acquisition and merger of the non-nuclear energy divisions of Westinghouse Electric Company by the Siemens power generation division in 1997; the...
make steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s at the CA Parsons Works
C. A. Parsons and Company
C. A. Parsons and Company was a British engineering firm which was once one of the largest employers on Tyneside.-History:The Company was founded by Charles Algernon Parsons in 1889 to produce turbo-generators, his own invention. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the company was producing...
in South Heaton
South Heaton
South Heaton is a ward of Newcastle City Council in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.It covers the southern part of the Heaton district, and some north eastern parts of neighbouring Byker....
, Newcastle. Sir Charles Parsons
Charles Algernon Parsons
Sir Charles Algernon Parsons OM KCB FRS was an Anglo-Irish engineer, best known for his invention of the steam turbine. He worked as an engineer on dynamo and turbine design, and power generation, with great influence on the naval and electrical engineering fields...
invented the steam turbine in 1884, and he developed an important local company. Domestos (sodium hypochlorite) was originated in Newcastle in 1929 by William Handley, and distributed from the area for many years. Barratt Developments
Barratt Developments
Barratt Developments PLC is one of the largest residential property development companies in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1958 as Greensitt Bros. but control was later assumed by Sir Lawrie Barratt. It was originally based in Newcastle upon Tyne but is now located at David Wilson's former...
is in Benwell
Benwell
Benwell is an area in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.-History:Benwell village was recorded in A.D. 1050 known as Bynnewalle which roughly translates as "behind the wall" or "by the wall". Referring to its position relative to Hadrian's Wall...
, Newcastle, and Bellway plc
Bellway
Bellway plc is a major British residential property developer based in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.- History :...
is in Seaton Burn
Seaton Burn
Seaton Burn may refer to:*The Seaton Burn, a stream that flows through South-Eastern Northumberland and reaches the North Sea at Seaton Sluice, after running through Holywell Dene;...
in North Tyneside
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
. The Sage Group
The Sage Group
The Sage Group plc , commonly known as Sage, is a global enterprise software company headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. It is the world's third-largest supplier of enterprise resource planning software , the largest supplier to small businesses, and has 6.1 million customers...
, who make accounting software
Accounting software
Accounting software is application software that records and processes accounting transactions within functional modules such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and trial balance. It functions as an accounting information system...
are based in Newcastle. J. Barbour & Sons
J. Barbour & Sons
J. Barbour & Sons Ltd is a British clothing manufacturer and importer, founded in South Shields, best known for making waterproof and outdoor clothing...
make outdoor clothing in South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
.
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
, is in Sunderland. Also in Sunderland, between North Hylton
North Hylton
North Hylton is a suburb of Sunderland, in northeast England. It is the site of Hylton Castle and falls on the north bank of River Wear opposite South Hylton....
and Washington
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
on an old airfield
RAF Usworth
RAF Usworth was a Royal Air Force station near Sunderland. In 1958 the station was closed and the airfield became Sunderland Airport. Following the closure of the airport in 1984, the site has since been redeveloped as a manufacturing facility for Nissan cars.- Early history :In October 1916, the...
, is a car factory owned by Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd
Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd
Nissan Motor Manufacturing Ltd, or NMUK is a car manufacturing plant in Washington, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom. It is owned and operated by the European division of Japanese car manufacturer Nissan. It is the largest car plant in the United Kingdom, and the most productive in Europe...
and the outdoor clothing company, Berghaus
Berghaus
Berghaus Limited is an outdoor clothing and equipment manufacturer headquartered in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England. It is based in the North East of England but distributes worldwide. It was founded in 1966 by climbers and mountaineers Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison, initially as an importer and...
, in Castletown. Smith Electric Vehicles
Smith Electric Vehicles
Smith Electric Vehicles is the world's leading manufacturers of electric commercial vehicles; battery-powered vans, and trucks Smith Electric Vehicles has always focused on the commercial vehicle market – it does not produce electric cars and has never done so.In 2011 after its United States...
, the world's leading manufacturer of electric vehicles originated in Washington. Liebherr
Liebherr Group
The Liebherr Group is a German manufacturing complex established in 1949 by Hans Liebherr. The Liebherr Group's holding company is Liebherr-International AG in Bulle, Switzerland, which is entirely owned by members of the Liebherr family...
build cranes next to the Wear at Deptford. Vaux Breweries
Vaux Breweries
Vaux Breweries was a major brewer based in Sunderland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Cuthbert Vaux in Sunderland in 1837 and for nearly 170 years was a major employer in the town....
, who owned Swallow Hotels
Swallow Hotels
Swallow Hotels are a hotel chain managed by Crerar Management Ltd.The company is an Edinburgh-based hotel company with a portfolio of 18 hotels, operating in the three and four star sector....
, closed in 1999. ScS
SCS
-Schools:* St. Columba's School, Delhi, a catholic boys school in India* St. Clement's School, a private girls school located in Toronto, Canada* St...
Sofas are on Borough Road. There are many call centres in Sunderland, notably EDF Energy
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation and the sale of gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom...
at the Doxford International Business Park
Doxford International Business Park
Doxford International is a business park located at the A19 / A690 interchange on the outskirts of Sunderland, in the North East of England. Previously it was a greenfield site, it was designated as an Enterprise Zone in 1990 in response to the decline of the area's former ship building and coal...
, home of the headquarters of Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, the large international transport company, and Nike UK
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
.
Northumberland
Ashington has the Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium SmelterAlcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter
The Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter is situated near Ashington, Northumberland, on the coast of North East England, south of the village of Lynemouth. The smelter is owned by Canadian aluminium company Alcan, which is part of Rio Tinto...
with the Lynemouth Power Station
Lynemouth Power Station
Alcan Lynemouth Power Station is a coal and biomass fired power station which provides electricity for the Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter and the National Grid. It is located on the coast of Northumberland, north east of the town of Ashington in North East England...
next door. Hammerite
Hammerite
Hammerite is a brand of paint made by Hammerite Products Limited, a subsidiary of Imperial Chemical Industries PLC.-Company history:Hammerite paint was first developed in 1962 by Allen Forster and later manufactured at the Flannigan's factory in Prudhoe. The company also produced the anti-corrosion...
and Cuprinol
Cuprinol
Cuprinol is a brand of garden woodcare treatments made by ICI Paints.-History:The product was developed in the 1930s to prevent dry rot and woodworm, essentially to waterproof wood. It is brand leader for garden woodcare....
are made by ICI Paints
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
in Prudhoe
Prudhoe
Prudhoe is a medium sized town just south of the River Tyne, in the southern part of the county of Northumberland, England about west of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town is sited on a steep, north-facing hill in the Tyne valley and nearby settlements include Ovingham, Ovington, Wylam,...
. Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
in Seaton Delaval
Seaton Delaval
Seaton Delaval is a village in Northumberland, England, with a population of 4,371. It is the largest of the five villages in Seaton Valley and is the site of Seaton Delaval Hall, the masterpiece completed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1727....
have a main factory making aftershave (Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
) and hair dye (Clairol
Clairol
Clairol is a personal care products division of Procter & Gamble. The Clairol company was started in 1931 by Lawrence M. Gelb and wife, Joan, who named their enterprise after a hair-coloring preparation they found while traveling in France....
and Nice 'n Easy
Nice 'n Easy
Nice ’n Easy is a shampoo-in permanent hair-coloring product for home use. It was introduced in 1965 with the advertising tagline, “The closer she gets, the better you look.”...
). The site was formerly owned by Shultons, who originated Old Spice
Old Spice
Old Spice is a prominent American brand of male grooming products. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble, which acquired the brand in 1990 from the Shulton Company.-History:...
, and were bought by P&G in 1990.
County Durham
GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
has a site at Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
that makes pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
. KP Snacks
KP Snacks
KP Snacks is a British producer of branded and own-label maize and potato based snacks, "Choc Dips" and nuts. The KP originally stood for Kenyon Produce. The company is based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England....
(owned by United Biscuits
United Biscuits
__FORCETOC__United Biscuits is a British multinational food manufacturer, makers of the BN biscuits, McVitie's biscuits, KP Nuts, Hula Hoops, The Real McCoy's crisps, Phileas Fogg snacks, Jacob's Cream Crackers, and Twiglets...
) make Phileas Fogg snacks
Phileas Fogg snacks
Phileas Fogg snacks are a brand of snack products in the United Kingdom based on snacks from around the world. Each bag originally featured a cartoon picture of Phileas Fogg along with a letter from him explaining where in the world he found the particular snack, and the adventures he had trying...
in Consett
Consett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
. Black & Decker
Black & Decker
Black & Decker Corporation is a corporation based in Towson, Maryland, United States, that designs and imports power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology based fastening systems...
used to have a large factory at Spennymoor
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town in County Durham, England. It stands above the Wear Valley approximately seven miles south of Durham. The town was founded over 160 years ago...
but production was moved to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
in 2002. Electrolux
Electrolux
The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...
closed its cookers factory there in 2008, with production moving to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water Group plc is the holding company for several companies in the water supply, sewerage and waste water industries. NWG's largest subsidiary is Northumbrian Water Limited , which is one of ten companies in England and Wales that are regulated water supply and sewerage utilities...
is in Pity Me
Pity Me
Pity Me is a suburban village of Durham, England, located north of Framwellgate Moor and west of Newton Hall.-Etymology:There are various theories on the origin of Pity Me's unusual name...
, Framwellgate Moor
Framwellgate Moor
Framwellgate Moor is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Durham, and is adjacent to Pity Me and Newton Hall. It has a population of 5,404....
. Since 2007 RF Micro Devices
RF Micro Devices
RF Micro Devices is involved in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio frequency systems and solutions for applications that drive wireless and broadband communications....
(RFMD) have made electronic wafer
Wafer (electronics)
A wafer is a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as a silicon crystal, used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other microdevices...
s on the Heighington Lane Business Park at Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe
Newton Aycliffe is a town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1947 under the New Towns Act of 1946, it is the oldest new town in the north of England.-Geography:...
, with the site formerly owned by Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
before 1999.
Darlington stayed relatively un-industrialised throughout the 20th century with finance and manufacturing being the main elements of its economy. Today Darlington is recognised for its railways more than anything as the first steam-hauled public passenger railway in the world was constructed through the town. Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
The Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company is a renowned bridge building and structural engineering company based in Darlington, England. It has been involved in many major projects including the Victoria Falls Bridge and the Humber Bridge.-History:...
which is responsible for the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
and Tyne Bridge
Tyne Bridge
The Tyne Bridge is a through arch bridge over the River Tyne in North East England, linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. It was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, who later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co. of Middlesbrough. At the time...
is still based in Darlington. The Orange mobile network provider also has a large site in Darlington. Argos and Aldi have major national depots in Darlington. Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
, an American engineering company, also has a large site in Darlington. The town centre continues to develop into a successful retail hub for the region with a large new £110m shopping centre, 'The Oval', on the way in the next few years. The national safeguarding authority has set up its national office here, which vets people on jobs for vulnerable people. The Student Loans Company has recently set up in Lingfield Point
Lingfield Point
Lingfield Point is a business park in Darlington, County Durham created on a historic industrial site previously home to Europe's largest wool manufacturing plant developed by Patons and Baldwins.-History:...
, and Magnet Kitchens
Magnet Kitchens
Magnet is a British kitchen retailer operating in over 200 locations across the UK supplying products under the Magnet and Magnet Trade brands. The company has over 2,000 employees and its headquarters are in Darlington, County Durham...
is in Lingfield
Lingfield, County Durham
Lingfield is a place in County Durham, England. It is situated to the east of Darlington....
in the east of the town. Darlington's economy is one of the most improving in the country.
Primary education
There are just over 250 nursery/primary schools in the County Durham area of the north east, and these range from schools with their own nursery, to schools that are either infant only, or junior only, for example, Ouston Junior School. In areas such as GosforthGosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
, there are first schools, such as Archibald First School, which have no years 5 nor 6, and therefore educate children up to the age of 8 and 9.
Secondary education
The North East education system consists of largely comprehensive schoolComprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
s but with a number of private and independent schools found in Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Stockton and Northumberland in particular.
There are around 125,000 at secondary schools in the region - the lowest in England, with the next lowest being the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
. The truancy
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
at its schools is a mixed picture, with it having the second highest overall rate for urban areas, after Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
. However for rural areas, it has the lowest overall truancy rate in England. Inside the region Middlesbrough has the highest rate with 7.2% persistent truants, which is the second highest in England after Manchester (7.3%). Next highest is Newcastle upon Tyne, with 6.4%, then the former district of Wansbeck
Wansbeck
Wansbeck was a local government district in south-east Northumberland, England. Its main population centres were Ashington, Bedlington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea....
, with 6.3%
At GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
level, the region performs similar to other largely urban areas although generally results are below the national average. Middlesbrough generally performs the worst with average results well below the national average for England. LEAs in the North East have improved (comparatively) at GCSE in recent years. Newcastle, and Hartlepool are the next lowest. In 2010, Durham performed the best, with (in order) Darlington, Gateshead, Northumberland, and South Tyneside also above the England average.
The better schools at GCSE tend to be faith schools, including St Thomas More RC
St Thomas More RC
St Thomas More RC school is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic secondary school in Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, England, providing teaching to 11 - 19 year olds....
in Blaydon
Blaydon
Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
, Emmanuel City Technology College
Emmanuel City Technology College
Emmanuel College is a secondary school based in Gateshead, England. It was founded in 1990 as a City Technology College, i.e. a secondary school which is partly funded by donations from business donors who remain involved in management of the college. Emmanuel now instructs up to 1,250 students...
(a selective independent state school) in Gateshead, All Saints C of E School in Ingleby Barwick
Ingleby Barwick
Ingleby Barwick is a large private residential estate and civil parish built on what was the southern perimeter of Thornaby airfield in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The estate is enclosed by water to the west, north and east...
, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
For the school of the same name in Leicester, see English Martyrs Catholic School.English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College is a secondary school and sixth form college located in Hartlepool. English Martyrs is the only Catholic secondary school in Hartlepool...
in Hartlepool, St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College is a school in Lanchester, County Durham, England. The school has specialist school status as a language college...
in Lanchester, County Durham
Lanchester, County Durham
Lanchester is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England, and was in the former district of Derwentside . It is to the west of the city of Durham and from the former steel town of Consett, and has a population of slightly over 4,000 people.Although there was a small drift mine on the...
, and the Carmel RC Technology College
Carmel RC Technology College
For schools of the same name, see Carmel College.Carmel College, A Catholic Academy is a secondary school on The Headlands in Hummersknott, Darlington, England. It also has a small sixth form college, admitting about 100 students each year, compared to the much larger Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form...
in Darlington. Other well performing schools in the region include Whitley Bay High School
Whitley Bay High School
Whitley Bay High School is a foundation state school in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, England.-Admissions:It is a mixed school with around 1600 pupils, 500 of these being in the school's Sixth Form. In 2006 the school was awarded Specialist College Status in Science & Humanities. The school has...
the Macmillan Academy
Macmillan Academy
Macmillan Academy is an academy in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England.The school was founded in 1989 as the Macmillan City Technology College, one of the first of 15 City Technology Colleges established in England...
in Middlesbrough, Park View Community School
Park View Community School
Park View Community School is a comprehensive school with a sixth form in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England.-Admissions:The school is a state school for children between 11 and 16, with the first two years taught on a separate site two miles north. The main Park View site also has a...
in Chester-le Street, and the Hurworth School
Hurworth School
Hurworth School Maths & Computing College is a comprehensive school situated in Hurworth-on-Tees located on Croft Road in the borough of Darlington, England.-Admissions:The school caters for around 650 students aged 11-16...
near Darlington. All Northumberland schools have a sixth-form along with a three-tier system
Three-tier education
Three-tier education refers to those structures of schooling, which exist in some parts of England, where pupils are taught in three distinct school types. A similar experiment was also trialled in Scotland....
of education. Many schools in the area (especially in Teesside, Sunderland and South Tyneside) do not have a sixth form. Middlesbrough and Newcastle have the most people that pass no GCSEs.
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
is particularly noted for Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, or QE, is a sixth form college on Vane Terrace in Darlington, County Durham, England.-History:It was established in 1970 on the site of the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, designed by George Gordon Hoskins...
, which is one of the most highly rated colleges in England. Sunderland and its catholic schools all do reasonably well at A level, similar to other catholic schools in the area. Newcastle was also above the England average and Stockton on Tees produced results just over the England average. Newcastle does significantly better at A-level than GCSE, and is consistently improving, and conversely Gateshead does much worse at A-level than GCSE, with the second lowest A-level results in the region in 2009, slightly better than Middlesbrough. South Tyneside had in previous years been consistently the worst performing LEA
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
at A-level in the region.
The independent and private schools in the area perform highly. Dame Allan's Schools, The King's School, Tynemouth
The King's School, Tynemouth
The King's School is a co-educational, independent day school in Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, England with over 800 pupils aged between 4 and 18. The current headmaster is Mr Edward Wesson . The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference...
, Royal Grammar School
Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
(NRGS) and Durham School
Durham School
Durham School, headmaster Martin George , is an independent British day and boarding school for boys and girls in Durham....
are all members of the prestigious The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The Central Newcastle High School
Central Newcastle High School
Central Newcastle High School is an independent all-girls school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.-History:Central Newcastle High School was officially opened in 1895 and moved into its current home around 1899 with the foundation stone for the current building being laid by Earl Grey on the 13th of...
in addition to the Royam Grammar School were named in the top 100 independent schools nationally in 2006. Durham School is considered to be one of the oldest schools in the UK, and it's Old Boys were the founding members of the original Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
Rugby club. Finally, the highly exclusive Mowden Hall preparatory School is situated in Northumberland, and is noted for getting many pupils into top UK public schools. The private schools out-perform the state schools in the urban areas. In the region, school children from Northumberland are most likely to attend university, followed by Stockton on Tees and North Tyneside.
Top fifteen state schools in North East England (2010 A-level results)
- Carmel RC Technology CollegeCarmel RC Technology CollegeFor schools of the same name, see Carmel College.Carmel College, A Catholic Academy is a secondary school on The Headlands in Hummersknott, Darlington, England. It also has a small sixth form college, admitting about 100 students each year, compared to the much larger Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form...
, HummersknottHummersknottHummersknott is an area in the western end of Darlington, County Durham which consists of mainly post-war houses, and is closely linked to the Mowden....
, Darlington (917) - St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School, Washington
- Durham Johnston Comprehensive SchoolDurham Johnston Comprehensive SchoolDurham Johnston Comprehensive School is a secondary school in Durham, UK.IntroductionDurham Johnston is a 1500-place 11-18 school serving Durham City and communities beyond to the south and west. It is situated on Crosssgate Moor, on the A167...
- The King Edward VI School, MorpethThe King Edward VI School, MorpethKing Edward VI School, Morpeth is a voluntary controlled comprehensive school located in Morpeth, Northumberland, England.-History:The refoundation of the school is frequently associated with William Turner King Edward VI School, Morpeth is a voluntary controlled comprehensive school located in...
- Conyers' SchoolConyers' SchoolConyers School is a mixed gender comprehensive school in the town of Yarm, England. It is run by Stockton-on-Tees borough council.-History:The Free Grammar School was founded in 1590 by Thomas Conyers of Egglescliffe, who was issued letters patent by Queen Elizabeth I to found a grammar school in...
, YarmYarmYarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire... - St. Anthony's Girls SchoolSt. Anthony's Girls SchoolSt. Anthony's is an all-girls secondary school and sixth form college situated in Sunderland, North East England.-Admission Policy 2010:The Governing Body determines the admissions to St. Anthony's. The criteria for admission reflects the nature of the foundation of the School by the Sisters of...
, Sunderland - Berwick Community High School
- Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form CollegeQueen Elizabeth Sixth Form CollegeQueen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, or QE, is a sixth form college on Vane Terrace in Darlington, County Durham, England.-History:It was established in 1970 on the site of the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, designed by George Gordon Hoskins...
, Darlington - Haydon Bridge Community High School and Sports College
- Egglescliffe School, EaglescliffeEaglescliffeEaglescliffe is a small town in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the north bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in County Durham. The bridge at Eaglescliffe on the border with Yarm marked the last crossing point of tidal section of the River Tees...
- St. Benet Biscop Catholic High SchoolSt. Benet Biscop Catholic High SchoolSt. Benet Biscop High School is a renowned Roman Catholic selective high school in Bedlington, Northumberland. It is the only Catholic high school in the county...
, BedlingtonBedlingtonBedlington is a town in Northumberland, to the north of the Tyne and Wear urban area. It lies north of Newcastle and southeast of the county town of Morpeth. Other nearby places include Ashington to the north northeast, Blyth to the east and Cramlington to the south.The parish of Bedlington... - Queen Elizabeth High School, HexhamQueen Elizabeth High School, HexhamQueen Elizabeth High School is a flourishing community high school and Performing Arts College.-Admissions:It has 1422 students, of whom 498 are in the sixth form...
- St. Cuthbert's High School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
- English Martyrs School and Sixth Form CollegeEnglish Martyrs School and Sixth Form CollegeFor the school of the same name in Leicester, see English Martyrs Catholic School.English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College is a secondary school and sixth form college located in Hartlepool. English Martyrs is the only Catholic secondary school in Hartlepool...
, Hartlepool - Park View Community SchoolPark View Community SchoolPark View Community School is a comprehensive school with a sixth form in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England.-Admissions:The school is a state school for children between 11 and 16, with the first two years taught on a separate site two miles north. The main Park View site also has a...
, Chester-le-StreetChester-le-StreetChester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
(816)
Further education
There are sixteen further education colleges in the region. The two main further education colleges are Newcastle CollegeNewcastle College
Newcastle College is a Further Education and Higher Education college in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the largest mixed economy College in the country and claims to offer more courses in more subjects than any of its geographical competitors....
and New College Durham
New College Durham
.New College Durham is a college of further and higher education in County Durham, England . It was founded in 1977 as a result of a merger between Neville's Cross College of Education and Durham Technical College. The college operated on two main sites near the city of Durham: Neville's Cross and...
.
Tertiary education
At the higher educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
level the North East contains a number of internationally acclaimed universities. These include Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, the third oldest university in England and often ranked among the ten leading UK universities; Newcastle University, a member of the Russell Group
Russell Group
The Russell Group is a collaboration of twenty UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994 to represent their interests to the government, parliament and other similar bodies...
, and the newer universities of Northumbria University
Northumbria University
Northumbria University is an academic institution located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. It is a member of the University Alliance.- History :...
, University of Sunderland
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
and Teesside University, which was voted Best University in the United Kingdom in 2009 at the Times Higher Education awards. There are no higher education colleges in the region.
The main university in the region is Newcastle University. It offers the broadest range of courses and has the largest research budget. The next largest university, by funding, is Durham University which has a research grant of about 70% that of Newcastle's, and fairly large compared to many universities. For total income, Newcastle again gets the most, followed by Durham, with Sunderland having the least.
Over 50% of students in the region come from the region, and around 35% are from other regions. At first degree level, around 55% are from the North of England (around 30% are from the region). The transfer of students across the region's boundary is mostly a net import of students, as few students in the region go elsewhere (due to the distances involved). 80% of students native to the region study in the North of England, with Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
being more popular than the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, and around 55% staying in the region. A higher proportion of students in the region, compared to elsewhere in England, come from so-called low participation neighbourhoods; Durham University has the least from these neighbourhoods. Northumbria University
Northumbria University
Northumbria University is an academic institution located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. It is a member of the University Alliance.- History :...
has the most students, followed by Teesside University. Durham University has the fewest total students.
Once graduated, almost 60% will stay in the region, with 10% each going to either Yorkshire or London. Both these areas are accessible via the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
.
Local media
Local media include:- Regional television comes the BBC North East and CumbriaBBC North East and CumbriaBBC North East and Cumbria is the BBC English Region covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Teesside and all but the southern part of Cumbria...
region, which has the regional evening Look NorthBBC Look North (North East and Cumbria)BBC Look North is the BBC's regional television news service for the BBC North East and Cumbria region. The programmes are produced and broadcast from the BBC Broadcasting Centre on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne with journalists also based at newsrooms in Middlesbrough, Durham, York and...
programme from Spital TonguesSpital TonguesSpital Tongues is a historic area of Newcastle upon Tyne, located north west of the city centre.Its unusual name is believed to be derived from 'spital' – a corruption of the word 'hospital' that is quite commonly found in UK place names - and 'tongues', meaning outlying pieces of land...
in Newcastle. The ITV region, Tyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
, has the evening programme North East TonightNorth East TonightNorth East Tonight is a regional television news and current affairs programme, also including local sports news and local features of interest, produced by ITV Tyne Tees & Border at its studios in Gateshead, and serving the "Tyne Tees" part of the region .The remainder of the ITV Tyne Tees & Border...
from Gateshead. - BBC Radios NewcastleBBC Radio NewcastleBBC Newcastle is the BBC Local Radio service English metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, broadcasting from studios on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne.- Technical :...
and TeesRadio TeesRadio Tees was the original name of TFM Radio, the Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in North East England, serving Teesside and parts of County Durham and North Yorkshire....
(a.k.a. Radio "T"). National radio comes from Bilsdale on the North York MoorsNorth York MoorsThe North York Moors is a national park in North Yorkshire, England. The moors are one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of , and it has a population of about 25,000...
for TeessideTeessideTeesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
, Pontop Pike in County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
for Tyne and Wear, and ChattonChatton transmitting stationThe Chatton transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated between Wooler and Seahouses, Northumberland. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.-Analogue radio :-Digital radio :-Analogue television:...
near WoolerWoolerWooler is a small town in Northumberland, England. It lies on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, by the Cheviot Hills and so is a popular base for walkers and is referred to as the "Gateway to the Cheviots"...
for NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. These transmitters are also the main TV transmitters. - Commercial radio stations such as: Metro RadioMetro RadioMetro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
(Newcastle), Real Radio (North East) (Gateshead), 105-106 Capital FM (former Galaxy North East in WallsendWallsendWallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
), Rock Radio (Digital), TFM RadioTFM RadioTFM Radio is a Thornaby-on-Tees based Independent Local Radio station. Launched in June 1975 as Radio Tees, with the callsign "You've got a friend on 257" it was the first independent local radio station serving the area of the Tees Valley with parts of North Yorkshire and County Durham...
(Thornaby-on-TeesThornaby-on-TeesThornaby-on-Tees is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees, three miles southeast of Stockton-on-Tees, and four miles southwest of Middlesbrough town centre and has a...
), Sun FMSun FMSun FM is a radio station serving the City of Sunderland and also available in Tyne and Wear, northern parts of County Durham in England. It broadcasts on the frequency 103.4 MHz and plays a mix of contemporary and classic popular music alongside local news, travel and covered ground breaking...
(Sunderland), and Star Radio North EastStar Radio North EastStar Radio North East is a radio station serving County Durham and North Yorkshire.-History:...
(Darlington). Digital radioDigital radio in the United KingdomIn the United Kingdom, the roll-out of digital radio is proceeding since test transmissions were started by the BBC in 1990. The UK currently has the world's biggest digital radio network, with 103 transmitters, two national DAB ensembles and 48 local and regional DAB ensembles...
comes from the Bauer Tyne & WearBauer Tyne & WearBauer Tyne and Wear is a local commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the Tyne and Wear television area.-History:EMAP was the only applicant for the Tyne & Wear licence by the closing date of 10 August 1999...
and Bauer TeessideBauer TeessideBauer Teesside is a local commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the Tees Valley area.EMAP was the only for the licence by the closing date of 14 March 2000. It was awarded the licence on 12 May 2000...
multiplexes. - Community radio stations also operate in the area such as: NE1fmNE1fmNE1fm is an FM community radio station based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Having launched in 2007, the station broadcasts 24 hours a day on 102.5 FM, and online via its website...
(Newcastle), Radio TeesdaleRadio TeesdaleRadio Teesdale is a community radio station in Barnard Castle, County Durham, serving the Teesdale area of England and owned and operated by Teesdale Community Broadcasting Limited, a not-for-profit community group....
(TeesdaleTeesdaleTeesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...
, County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
) Spark FM (Sunderland),. - Local regional newspapers are the Evening ChronicleEvening ChronicleThe Evening Chronicle is a daily, evening newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne, covering Tyne and Wear, southern Northumberland and northern County Durham. It was founded in 1885 by Joseph Cowen...
(Newcastle) , Sunderland EchoSunderland EchoThe Sunderland Echo is an evening newspaper serving the Sunderland, South Tyneside and East Durham areas of North East England. The newspaper was founded by Samuel Storey, Edward Backhouse, Edward Temperley Gourley, Charles Palmer, Richard Ruddock, Thomas Glaholm and Thomas Scott Turnbull in 1873,...
(Sunderland), The JournalThe Journal (newspaper)The Journal is a daily newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne. Published by ncjMedia, , The Journal is produced every weekday and Saturday morning and is complemented by its sister publications the Evening Chronicle and the Sunday Sun.The newspaper mainly has a middle-class and professional...
(Newcastle), Evening GazetteEvening Gazette (Teesside)The Evening Gazette is a newspaper serving the Teesside area of England. It is published by the Gazette Media Company Ltd, which is a regional arm of the Trinity Mirror group. The Evening Gazette is written and published in Middlesbrough, along with many other publications...
(Middlesbrough), Shields GazetteShields GazetteThe Shields Gazette, established in 1849, is a daily evening newspaper. It is the oldest provincial evening newspaper in the United Kingdom....
(South ShieldsSouth ShieldsSouth Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
), Hartlepool MailHartlepool MailThe Hartlepool Mail is a newspaper serving Hartlepool and the surrounding area. It has an average daily circulation of 14,198.The paper was founded in Hartlepool in 1877 as The Northern Daily Mail and continued to be printed in the town until August 2006, when the printing staff were told they...
, The Northern EchoThe Northern EchoThe Northern Echo is a leading daily regional morning newspaper, serving the North East of England. The paper is based in Priestgate, Darlington. Its covers national as well as regional news. It is one of the UK's most famous provincial newspaper titles....
(Darlington) and the Darlington and Stockton Times. - New media company Great North News Services (Newcastle upon Tyne).