Latest news with #SunderlandUniversity
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Send your pictures and stories of why you love Sunderland
On Monday, we asked you to tell us why you fell in love with Sunderland and some of your favourite moments supporting have already been getting in touch with your photos and stories and here is just a taste from Toni:"My family live in Blackpool. My dad was an avid Sunderland fan his whole life but did work away for long periods. To my dad's joy, I got a place at Sunderland University, which gave him a great reason to get a season ticket to see the boys. I got taken along for the ride."Seeing what the club means to the people of Sunderland, what a hold on the players that it has and the lasting effects it has on players made me proud to be called a Sunderland fan."Unfortunately in 2014, my dad discovered he had cancer and he made me promise one thing - if I were to have children, make sure they are red and white. Fast forward a couple of years, my daughter went to her first match when she was two and has her own season ticket."We travel from Blackpool most weekends and wouldn't have it any other way. Wembley was the highlight for both of us and we cannot wait for the season ahead."Join the conversation and send your best photos about why you love first visit to the stadium? A special kit? An amazing away trip?Send us your pictures and stories
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University welcomes Glass Centre closure questions
Sunderland University has said it welcomes questions from the local authority over the decision to close the National Glass Centre. The chief executive of the council is expected to write to the university and demand more information about the centre's repair costs and finances after a motion was passed on Wednesday evening. Save the National Glass Centre campaigners said they were "surprised and delighted" to see cross-party support for the move, and called for the building to be taken into public ownership. A spokesperson for the university said it had been "completely transparent in its decision making" about the closure. The National Glass Centre is set to shut in July 2026. The university had said damage to the building would cost between £14m and £45m to repair - and "no individual or organisation" had offered financial support towards the refurbishment. But the motion, put forward by Conservative councillor Michael Hartnack, questioned the accuracy of the estimated repair bill. It also demanded information about the site's ownership and finances. A university spokesperson said consultation reports about the repair costs had been available to the public on their website for the past two years. "We welcome the questions from the chief executive of Sunderland Council and will continue to be open and transparent in our answers," they added. A spokesperson for the campaign group to save the centre said the latest development was "a powerful and encouraging step forward". They said: "For years, we have been calling for local leadership to stand up for the National Glass Centre, and we're genuinely heartened that councillors have united to take action. "We also renew our call for the University of Sunderland to be more transparent about the circumstances leading to the closure." A university spokesperson said it had accepted an invitation to appear at the council's Economic and Prosperity Committee in January over the closure, but was asked to provide a written statement instead due to the number of items on the agenda. "This was supplied as requested," they said. The upcoming letter is also expected to ask questions about Glassworks, the new facility set to replace the centre. It would be based in the former Peter Smith antiques warehouse in Sunniside and be run by arts organisation Sunderland Culture. However, the motion said the new scheme "fails to address the loss of expertise" caused by the closure of the national centre and was only "partially costed". The £7.5m facility has secured £5m from the government's Cultural Development Fund, with efforts under way to raise the remaining £2.5m. A spokesperson for Sunderland Culture previously said its fundraising target reflected the costs "for making the building fit for purpose as a glass-making space". Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Concerns raised about glass centre's repair costs Why is the National Glass Centre closing? Proposed new Glassworks site announced National Glass Centre
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sunderland University welcomes Glass Centre closure questions
Sunderland University has said it welcomes questions from the local authority over the decision to close the National Glass chief executive of the council is expected to write to the university and demand more information about the centre's repair costs and finances after a motion was passed on Wednesday evening. Save the National Glass Centre campaigners said they were "surprised and delighted" to see cross-party support for the move, and called for the building to be taken into public ownership.A spokesperson for the university said it had been "completely transparent in its decision making" about the closure. The National Glass Centre is set to shut in July 2026. The university had said damage to the building would cost between £14m and £45m to repair - and "no individual or organisation" had offered financial support towards the the motion, put forward by Conservative councillor Michael Hartnack, questioned the accuracy of the estimated repair also demanded information about the site's ownership and finances.A university spokesperson said consultation reports about the repair costs had been available to the public on their website for the past two years."We welcome the questions from the chief executive of Sunderland Council and will continue to be open and transparent in our answers," they added. 'Genuinely heartened' A spokesperson for the campaign group to save the centre said the latest development was "a powerful and encouraging step forward".They said: "For years, we have been calling for local leadership to stand up for the National Glass Centre, and we're genuinely heartened that councillors have united to take action."We also renew our call for the University of Sunderland to be more transparent about the circumstances leading to the closure." A university spokesperson said it had accepted an invitation to appear at the council's Economic and Prosperity Committee in January over the closure, but was asked to provide a written statement instead due to the number of items on the agenda."This was supplied as requested," they said. The upcoming letter is also expected to ask questions about Glassworks, the new facility set to replace the centre. It would be based in the former Peter Smith antiques warehouse in Sunniside and be run by arts organisation Sunderland the motion said the new scheme "fails to address the loss of expertise" caused by the closure of the national centre and was only "partially costed".The £7.5m facility has secured £5m from the government's Cultural Development Fund, with efforts under way to raise the remaining £2.5m.A spokesperson for Sunderland Culture previously said its fundraising target reflected the costs "for making the building fit for purpose as a glass-making space". Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Former North Shore Sunderland Uni nightclub demolition confirmed
The demolition of a former university nightclub has been this year, Sunderland University lodged proposals to flatten North Shore, near its St Peter's Campus, with no plans for a known as Manor Quay and Campus, the building had hosted major acts including the Arctic Monkeys, JLS, Coolio and Ne-Yo, but has not been used since City Council approved the demolition but did not confirm when the work would begin. Debbie Travis-Waller, who has happy memories of the venue, previously told the BBC that she and fellow former students were "gutted" when they found out about the demolition."They were like: 'It's a proper end of era'," she said."It was a great part of our lives for a good five or six years." Mrs Travis-Walker also recalled watching S Club 3 play to a packed venue in 2011. She said that she was the Students' Union entertainments and bar manager at the time and said that night was her favourite memory of the club."It was absolutely rammed. Everyone was dressed up and the atmosphere was just brilliant," she said. A spokesman for the university said the venue had not been required by staff or students for nine years."There are no plans for a replacement building on the site at the present time," he said last month. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Uni nightclub demolition would be 'end of an era'
The planned demolition of a former university nightclub has been called the "end of an era" by former students who partied there in years gone by. Sunderland University has lodged proposals to flatten North Shore, near its St Peter's Campus, with no plans for a replacement. Previously known as Manor Quay and Campus, the building has hosted major acts including Arctic Monkeys, JLS, Coolio and Ne-Yo, but has not been used since 2016. Debbie Travis-Waller - one of those who made happy memories there - said she and fellow former students were "gutted" when they found out about the demolition. "They were like: 'It's a proper end of era'," she said. "It was a great part of our lives for a good five or six years." Originally from York, Mrs Travis-Walker first walked through the doors of what was then Manor Quay during Fresher's Week in 2006. The night out ended with a traffic cone brought back to the student flat and "just sitting up, having a laugh and knowing this was where I was going to be for the next three years". "It was a nice feeling." During Freshers in 2011, S Club 3 played at the packed venue, which had undergone a name change from Campus to North Shore. Mrs Travis-Walker was the Students' Union entertainments and bar manager at the time and said that night was her favourite memory of the club. "It was absolutely rammed. Everyone was dressed up and the atmosphere was just brilliant," she said. "It really felt like a proper student club. "But sadly those nights were few and far between as trends changed and people were staying in town." The building has not been used for about nine years and the university recently applied to pull it down. After demolition, the land would be "graded to seamlessly blend with the existing levels and will be grassed over", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Mrs Travis-Waller, who is now based in South Shields, said the venue "naturally faded out" amid changing trends and the Covid pandemic. "It could've been a lot more, but I just don't think the university or the student union had the funds to bring it to where it needed to be. "It's a shame it's going but that's part and parcel of life." A spokesman for the university said the venue had not been required by staff or students for nine years. "There are no plans for a replacement building on the site at the present time," he added. A final decision on the demolition is expected later this year. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Universities get £9m to turn research to business Region's only short cancer care course launches University of Sunderland
