After months and months of desperately trying to see through the gaps in the scaffolding to get a glimpse at what's been going on the wait is finally over and today Spanish City in Whitley Bay finally opens its doors to the public and I, along with everyone else in North Tyneside am beyond excited.
Spanish City has played a huge part in Whitley Bay's history, opening in 1910 as a concert hall it became a famous landmark on the seafront delighting residents and tourists with its restaurant, roof garden, tea room and, of course, its famous funfair. As with many British seasides, the visitors to Whitley Bay fell with the arrival of package holidays abroad and by the 1990s the once beautiful building had fallen into disrepair before it was finally closed to the public in the early 2000s. For over 15 years the once much loved building has been sitting deserted overlooking the sea, its glory days a distant memory.
So now that the scaffolding has been taken down how is Spanish City looking? Approaching it for the first time I have to say it gave me goosebumps. Having never experienced Spanish City as anything other than a very sad looking abandoned building it felt amazing to see it looking so glorious on the sea front. The real jewel in Whitley Bay's crown, I was pretty overwhelmed looking at it properly for the first time, and I think the opening will be a very special moment that we'll all remember for a long time to come!
It seems so incredibly sad to think that such an important building has been left to decay for so long and I think there will be a lot of very emotional people taking their first steps into the building this week, many probably thought the building would be lost forever!
Having only moved to the North East five years ago it was my first time ever stepping foot inside and my jaw hit the floor! Every single person walking through the doors had the same reaction - "wow! It is stunning - beautifully finished with plenty of huge windows letting in loads of light and offering fantastic views across Whitley Bay.
Spanish City will be used to host weddings, dances and events as well as being home to some rather lovely looking eateries! I can't wait to head back and try each one and am already wondering if I can justify doing a day-long Spanish City food crawl!
1910 Steak & Seafood
Fine dining with sea views, 1910 Steak & Seafood serve the very best food from the sea and land with creative dishes. Each table offers a fantastic view across the sea and this is going to become one of the most beautiful places in the North East for date night!
Open for Lunch:
Friday and Saturday 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Open for Dinner
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 6:30 pm to late
Trenchers
You can't visit the seaside without a British classic - fish and chips! Spanish City is home to famous Whitby restaurant Trenchers who have opened their first place outside North Yorkshire. Sitting under the dome it's my favourite space in Spanish City with fantastic views of the ceiling of the dome and some lovely booths for proper family occasions and, if the weather is too nice to sit inside, they also offer takeaway.
Open 7 days a week from 12:00 pm to late
The Champagne Bar
The perfect end to the perfect day, Spanish City's Champagne Bar is the place to go for a glass of fizz, beers, largers, wine and cocktails - with sea views and live music it sounds like the perfect place to spend an evening.
Open 7 days a week from 12:00 pm to late
Waffle and Pancake House
My husband's personal favourite, Spanish City has its very own Waffle and Pancake House, perfect for an indulgent treat on the seafront. With a menu packed full of sundaes, waffles and crepes I can't wait to try! Unlike the other eateries it can't be accessed from inside Spanish City so it's a lovely spot to just wander into.
Open 7 days a week from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Valeries Tea Room
Keeping with tradition, Valerie's Tea Room will give a real taste to times gone by at Spanish City with their classic tea room. Serving pastries, muffins and cakes as well as breakfasts and Valerie's Afternoon Tea (I managed to try a few samples and the food was delicious!)
Open 7 days a week from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Spanish City is now open and I can't wait to hear what you all think!
Find Spanish City at:
Spanish City Plaza
Whitley Bay
NE26 1BG
0191 691 7090
https://spanishcity.co.uk/
You have no idea how buzzing I am about this. I just need to get into the habit of going to the seaside in proper clothes... and shoes!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting the opening times up. In my excitement, I’ve been struggling to find somewhere that has them all in one place
Speak soon!
So welcome! It's very exciting isn't it! We already spend a lot of time at Whitley Bay and I think we're about to spend even more!
DeleteIt looks immaculate, but that is perhaps part of the problem. Having a nice meal is great, but with nothing else to do, why go to Whitley Bay in the first place. The Old Spanish City may have been a little bit seedy, but that was the point. It was also fun, and gave an entertainment heart to the town. It's loss left Whitley Bay a shadow of it's former self. Restoring the building is great, it's beauftiful, but maybe restoring it as an attraction, rather than a place to eat when you are already there, may have been better for the town.
ReplyDelete