Julie Elliott: “It would be an odd thing not to be Labour”

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Stars Heading To Campus

Student bar Campus is merging with venue company Wylam Leisure later this year in a move that could bring acts like Katy Perry, Arctic Monkeys and The Saturdays to Wearside. Read more

Budding entrepreneurs reach for the sky with Cloud9

The North East is due to host an event this month known as the Cloud9 Summit, which will enable young and aspiring entrepreneurs to gather and share their ambitions and knowledge. Read more

Lord Puttnam inspires Sunderland students

With BAFTA news dominating the world of film and entertainment, Wearside’s own “Local Hero” Lord David Puttnam was in the region this week accepting a very different type of award from the University of Sunderland.

The Media Centre at St Peter’s Campus has been renamed “The David Puttnam Media Centre” in honour of the respected film producer whose contributions to the British Film Industry are matched by his commitment to the university.

”Sunderland is as good a place if not possibly better than most in terms of finding types of talent that will create the British Film Industry of 2020,” the former chancellor said.

”There is no reason why we shouldn’t have four other Ridley Scotts living and working in the region as a result of this university and its facilities and resources.”

Lord Puttnam was chancellor of the university for 10 years before taking up the same office for the Open University. He hopes to broaden and extend nationally what he feels was achieved at Sunderland: “We tried to create opportunities for people and for the region to give the region confidence and self belief. I think we did a good job in that direction.”

”We are getting much better at tailoring to the individual needs, playing to students’ strengths as opposed to criticising their weaknesses,” he added.

“The world of education is going through a metamorphosis which will mean that it is better equipped to deal with the challenges of the 21st century.”

Despite retiring from the film industry, Lord Puttnam still loves cinema and managed to watch 23 movies over 22 days during his recent Christmas break.

But, commenting on the current awards season, he said: “I don’t miss the excitement of the awards ceremonies. I had 30 happy years but the challenges that I have now are more absorbing than anything that I found in the film industry. I am certainly not taking the soft option.”

Lord Puttnam was replaced by Olympic athlete Steve Cram as Chancellor of Sunderland University.

Credit doom for travel boom?

Credit doom for travel boom?

The North East travel industry has seen staggering drops in passenger numbers compared to this time last year.

The credit crunch, an economic downturn affecting all of the country, has led to people cutting down on luxuries due to significantly less disposable income- which means for a lot of households the first thing to go is holidays.

“300,000 passenger drop”

Newcastle airport can report that there has been an incredible 300,000 passenger drop from 5.7 million passengers in 2007 to 5.4 million in 2008-the first time this has happened in over a decade.

“Leisure spending being the first thing people choose to cut down on.”

According to Newcastle Airport this rapid decline is due to two forces: increased tax rates for airlines thus higher, increased fares for airline passengers and the other force being the “passenger’s propensity to fly” with “leisure spending being the first thing people choose to cut down on.”

The biggest area of the airline market to be affected is the weekend break market, often perceived as an additional holiday to the traditional summer holiday, but in previous years it had appealed to the public with cheaper fares from budget airlines and cheaper tax meant there was more cash to spend.

However now it is the main type of holiday in the airline market to be culled.

It is not just the airline sector of the North East travel industry that has been particularly affected by the credit crunch. The local sector of the travel company National Express, have seen a shocking rise in passenger numbers over the past year for the coach service and are actually making a profit compared to its travel industry rivals in other markets.

According to National Express, there is “no definitive answer” to why there has been an increase in profit in these most tumultuous of times but did say that “it is a result of the eco-friendliness of the coach and it being cheaper than using a car due to higher petrol prices.”

However they did say that “the credit crunch has significantly affected National Express’ profits this year”

Therefore it looks like for the North East airline industry; troubled times are still ahead whilst for the coach industry, well things couldn’t be better.

New opportunities for Sunderland graduates

“WE want our graduates to stay in Sunderland.”

That was the message from Councillor Paul Watson, the Leader of Sunderland City Council, at the grand opening of a new £6.5million business and arts centre in the city’s cultural quarter.

And a Sunderland University photography graduate, Mark Shotton, the first person to exhibit at the new centre, said: “Students should join us.”

Cllr Watson and Mr Shotton were just two of the many guests at the official opening of thePlace in Sunniside.

ThePlace, in Athenaeum Street, offers a number of performance and conference spaces, an art gallery and studio, a range of business suites and a café, restaurant and bar facilities.

The new centre has already attracted interest in its first few months of opening.

Ben Hall, Director of the Sunniside Partnership, which is overseeing the regeneration of the area, said: “We’ve invested £6million into thePlace and we’ve already attracted an eclectic range of creative businesses.

“This building is absolutely key to our overall ambition for the area. It clearly shows to the private sector that we are serious about the regeneration of Sunniside.”

He added: “We are looking for a broad spectrum of creative industries. There is a lot of work we are going to be commissioning.

“We have fantastic courses at Sunderland University which are really well respected and some very talented graduates. I think what we need to do is retain and capture some of this talent for the city.”

Cllr Watson described the centre as acting as a catalyst for the arts and creative businesses in the city and hoped Sunderland graduates will use its facilities.

He said: “If we can create the opportunities for graduates to take up then that obviously gives them that option. I am quite sure some of them will take advantage of these options.

“Quite a lot of money has been spent here and we want to create these opportunities. We want graduates to stay here and raise the aspirations and whole standard of the city.”

Mr Shotton, whose exhibition of photographs of famous stars who appeared at the Sunderland Mecca, said: “It has been thought that Sunderland graduates will come here.

“It would be ideal if a group of students who have graduated created a creative community and based themselves here. That would be really good.”

Firework display tonight in Ashbrooke

Sunderland’s largest firework will be back at Ashbrooke Sports Club tonight.

The display is in its 14^th year of existence and is expected to attract over 7000 people with all proceeds going to charity.

Councillor Margaret Forbes said: “Anything that benefits charity is to be welcomed and if it is benefiting them in a responsible way it should be welcomed on that basis.”

The event is ticket only. Tickets for the display cost £5 and are available from Ashbrooke Sports Club and The Bridges.

As well as the display there will also be a funfair, food and refreshments provided by the club.

There has been some concern about how the area will deal with the extra traffic, as there is already a parking problem.

Elaine Browne, of Worcester Terrace, said: “Because we are so close to town, you get a lot of on street parking.

“I think the Council should do something to arrange more parking for the display, because residents in Ashbrooke suffer enough.”

Councillor Margaret Forbes said: “I hope it doesn’t exacerbate the parking problem that already exists in the area.

Rob Davies, 20, said: “I find it annoying because I live here, but during the day, other people parking front of our house meaning there is nowhere for me to leave my car.

“If there are more people coming into the city, I can imagine my street becoming a car park, and at night when all my housemates will be home it will be worse.”

For more information contact Ashbrooke Sports Club on (0191) 528 4536, or email them at info@ashbrookesports.com. You could also visit their website at www.ashbrookesports.com

Shop wins award for third year running

A shop in Ashbrooke has been voted as one of the top 100 shops in the country for the third year running.

Wilsons Super Shop, on Queen Alexandra Road, is one of only two shops in Sunderland to win the award.

Richard Wilson, who owns the store, said: “It’s great for people to recognise the high standards that we strive for and the hard work that we do.

“My staff will go around the shop with older customers; carrying their bag and helping them find what they are looking for. They keep the shop well stocked and clean.”

Richard, who owns the shop with his wife Denise, said: “It shows how high our standards are. It shows that we are regarded as the best individual shop in Sunderland.”

Denise said: “Well obviously it’s a proud thing to win an award for three years on the trot. It shows how hard we work.

“Its really good for the community as well, it shows that we have something to be proud of within our community.”

To win the award the shop is rated on categories, which include shop layout, availability and interaction with the community.

Of the top 100 shops, 81 were in the list for the first time, proving the level that Wilsons Super Shop is achieving.

Independent Achievers Acadamy spokesperson Nick Shanagher, said: “We’ve had an amazing response this year and standards are higher than ever.”

“Consumer surveys consistently show that local shops are rated more highly than supermarkets. And our Top 100 list includes many of the UK’s best retailers who are proud to serve their local communities.”