Sam Fender’s Official Number 1 and the North Shields walk that shaped him

By Abigail Mableson with edits and contributions by Caroline Oswald and Diane Wailes

A walk in Fender’s footsteps

Today it was officially announced that Sam Fender has secured another Official Number 1 — a moment that sent waves of pride right through North Shields.

For most of the country, it’s headline music news. For us, it’s personal.

Before the awards, the arena tours and the chart-topping records, there were the banks of Tanner’s, the back lanes off Preston Road, the Low Lights Tavern and the classrooms of John Spence. There were early gigs at the Linskill Centre and lyrics shaped by streets we walk every day.

As the charts celebrate another milestone, there’s never been a better time to take a walk through the town that shaped him — tracing the landmarks, lyrics and local legends that turned a North Shields lad into a Number 1 artist.

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See the whole town…

Begin at Ricky Also’s I Beg That Sound mural, a burst of colour marking the end of Linskill Terrace. The artwork nods to Fender’s track ‘That Sound ‘from his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, which launched him from local lad to national treasure.

A short stroll takes you to the Linskill Centre, a cornerstone of community life. Once a stage for young Fender and his early bands, today it hosts everything from art classes to country music nights.

And if you follow in his lyrical footsteps, “By The Gunner, you shouted, ‘Oh my God’”, from the hit that took him to Number 1, ‘Rein Me In’, you’ll find The Gunner pub, the perfect cosy stop for a mid-walk pint and a taste of true local spirit.

North Shields proudly bears Fender’s influence. His image is displayed in the windows of North Shields Quality Butchers on West Percy Street and on the walls of the Premier shop on Cleveland Avenue.

Near here, the façade of the North East Snooker Centre on Queen Alexandra Road features a blown-up portrait of the musician set against the musical score to the title song from his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, a reminder that even a trip to the shops or casual night out can be a dedication to a local legend.

Head along Walton Avenue towards John Spence Community High School, where his old teachers and current students still beam with pride to share his story.

Continue your walk back along Preston Road in the direction of Whitby Street, Knotts Flats and Collingwood’s Monument, the backdrops for the video to Fender’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’, the title track from his second studio album.

These spots, contrasting community streets and coastal views, encapsulate this generational anthem.

Further along the coast you’ll find Tynemouth Priory, where Fender headlined the beloved Mouth of the Tyne Festival way back in 2019 and Tynemouth Surf Cafe, where he played some of his first gigs.

Return back along the prom towards the Fish Quay, where you’ll find the legendary Low Lights Tavern, perhaps the most iconic stop of all.

Steeped in maritime history and local pride, it now houses Fender’s very own BRIT award, cleverly repurposed into a beer pump. As Fender sang in ‘Leave Fast‘; “People battling on the regular in a lazy lowlights bar”, this location set the scene for where it all began.

The pub where he was first discovered is still never far from his thoughts, making an appearance in his latest single, ‘Talk to You’, featuring Elton John on piano.

Further along the Fish Quay you’ll come across one of the town’s new murals, Glory, by artist Marcus Reed on the side of the Salt Market building. If you look closely, you’ll find among the names that make up the title of the artwork that of Annie Orwin, who inspired the song ‘People Watching’ and who received a heartfelt tribute from Sam in his recent Mercury Prize acceptance speech.

Go back up the walkway or any of the banks or stairs in the direction of King Street Social Club, adorned with another bold mural by Prefab77 and where Alan Shearer presented Fender with his Official Charts Number 1 trophy.

A hub for grassroots music of all genres thanks to the efforts of local DJ and producer Geoff Kirkwood, aka Manpower, the club continues to thrive as a centre for live music and community spirit.

Continue from here towards the town centre, passing by pubs where Sam performed as a youngster – the newly reopened Bell and Bucket and the soon-to-reopen Magnesia Bank. Take a walk along Lawson Street, the location of the old gasworks studios referred to in ‘People Watching’; “Back in the Gasworks, screamin’ the song”.

If you want to venture further afield, you could pay a visit to the area where Fender grew up near the Meadow Well estate: “I grew up in the fallout from the riots in the ’90s” (from Homesick, his duet with Noah Kahan).

On your way, Victoria Crescent is a must-see for superfans and photographers alike. Nestled near North Shields Football Club, this modest backstreet became the Seventeen Going Under album cover and has truly been transformed into a cultural landmark.

Then head past the “Blue Star on the Nautilus” on Verne Road, mentioned in ‘Leave Fast‘, on the way to Wark Avenue, the home of his grandparents lovingly described in ‘Remember My Name’.

Hop on the Metro from Meadow Well to Howdon, immortalised by Fender in ‘Howdon Aldi Death Queue’: “Get off the metro, now!”

You may choose to stay on the Metro all the way to Newcastle, the city where Fender’s sound conquered the nation. At Grey’s Monument, hear echoes of ‘Play God’ and recall Fender’s triumphant homecoming gigs at St James’s Park.

As Wor Flags decorated the stadium in black and white, his music electrified the stands, encapsulating the pride and togetherness that epitomises Tyneside.

Round off your day with a Sam Fender night at The Cut on St Nicholas Street, the indie club name-dropped in ‘Will We Talk’. Or catch a gig at the Utilita Arena, where Fender recently celebrated his Mercury Prize win. It’s the perfect encore to a day immersed in music.

When you take your walk through North Shields, remember, these streets carried a local lad from a small Tyneside town to the world stage. This meandering walk might just make you discover some new secrets, and fall in love with North Shields all over again.

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