South Shields, a coastal town in the North East known for its sandy beaches, has been ranked fourth in a new study identifying the best seaside destinations for a night out. The rankings, based on the number of pubs, bars, clubs, and restaurants within a five-mile radius, placed the town in the top 10, surprising some locals.
Local Reactions to the Ranking
Lorna Grant, a bartender at The Rattler on Sandhaven Beach, praised the town's nightlife. “It’s been great, lovely to see everyone come together to watch the football as the World Cup has been on,” she said. Grant, a South Shields local, prefers drinking in the town over Newcastle or Sunderland. “It’s easy to get to from home and it’s a lot cheaper than Newcastle for a night out. The place seems to be a lot busier than it ever has been because more people are coming out for the football. It feels a lot more safer being out here in South Shields too.”
Her colleague Gracie O’Neill noted an influx of tourists. “We’ve had so many tourists come by. Quite a lot have come from Germany across on the ferry. We’ve even had people from America and Australia visit us. The ones from Australia said the beach is not too much different to theirs from home! We serve food outside and they love having a couple drinks on the beach.”
Hidden Gem or Declining Scene?
Alex Gwinn, a lifeguard, called Sandhaven Beach a “hidden gem” and expressed pride in his hometown. He recommended Colmans Seafood Temple for “the best fish and chips in the North East,” as well as the Sand Dancer and the Marine on Ocean Road for a night out. “There’s been times when people have came across to visit on the ferry and didn’t even realise it [Sandhaven beach] was here! It’s a traditional Victorian beach and was named one of the best in the UK in 2023,” he said.
However, not all locals share the enthusiasm. Lucy Davidson, managing supervisor at The Sand Dancer, described the town as “dire” in recent years. “Not a lot of money has been put into the area, places have been closing down. To improve the area it needs more money into it. With the new college opening up however you can see things are now starting to go in the right direction.” She suggested that a venue like STACK, which attracts crowds at Seaburn, could help. Despite this, she acknowledged the town’s tourist appeal: “Loads come along and they stay at the sea front and we're so busy at night times. People enjoy coming along and sitting in the beer gardens and terrace and looking out onto the sea, that's what we're known for, it's definitely the place to come.”
Changing Drinking Culture
Gemma Scott, manager at The Marine pub on Ocean Road, was surprised by the ranking. “It's not what it used to be. I've been coming out to South Shields for nights out for 30 years and it's not as busy anymore,” she said. She attributed the decline to a national shift: “The whole drinking culture has changed. Younger people don't go out like we used to, they go out later. We used to go out every Thursday, Friday, Saturday night but it's not the same anymore.” Still, she noted that The Marine remains busy on weeknights and weekends, with tourists and locals alike. “Six months ago we got a new chef in and the standard of food is great, we've been hearing of so many recommendations, we serve traditional staples, Sunday dinners and every Thursday we have new specials.”
The study’s ranking highlights South Shields as a contender for summer nightlife, despite mixed local opinions on its current state.
