By Alicia Ward
A Hidden Gem Shines Again!
Brace yourself, Cullercoats — your beloved Watch House is getting the makeover it so richly deserves, and the transformation is already jaw-dropping.
Phase 2 of the renovation is now underway, and the Cullercoats Watch House Campaign team are buzzing. After successfully completing Phase One, the external renovation, the focus has shifted inside, and what the builders have uncovered has left everyone speechless. Hidden behind a grim 1970s polystyrene tile false ceiling is a truly awe-inspiring vaulted roof space. Yes, really. All that glory, concealed for decades under a ceiling that belonged in a beige office block. Not any more!
Getting to this point has taken passion, persistence, and some serious fundraising. The campaign was ignited by John Hamilton of the R W Mann Trust, whose enthusiasm proved infectious. Local and national trusts, community fundraisers, and volunteers rallied around, together raising over £300,000. That’s the power of a community that cares.
The vision for the new interior comes from a genuinely exciting collaboration. Ryder Architects teamed up with Northumbria University, where Interior Architecture students joined academic staff, members of the public, and volunteers in an extensive public consultation. Their creative ideas were then shaped into practical, buildable plans by Scullion Architects. Community-designed, community-built — it doesn’t get more local than that.
Of course, renovating a Grade II listed building with half-metre thick stone walls is no small feat. Those hefty walls were being slowly suffocated by layers of inappropriate wallcoverings that stopped moisture from escaping naturally. They’ve been stripped right back. Lime plastering and a positive input ventilation system will now let the building breathe properly, a vital step in preserving it for the future. NTC’s Conservation and Planning department have been on board throughout, making sure the building’s character and heritage remain front and centre.
The goal is a flexible space for both social and commercial uses — vital, since the Watch House receives no public funding for its upkeep. The new design has also restored the original sage green colour scheme, inside and out, and reopened the west window, honouring Victorian architect Frank West Rich’s original vision.
A North Tyneside coastal gem, built to last another 150 years. We can’t wait for the grand reopening — watch this space!
