Spanish City developer named

The Spanish City was opened in 1910

The company chosen to spearhead a multi-million pound regeneration of one of the North East's seaside towns has been announced.

PFP Developments of Preston will spend £90m on the Spanish City fairground site, and seafront, at Whitley Bay.

Ian Grant, the Special Projects Manager for PFP, says the local community was closely consulted, which means the new development should have "something for everyone".

The developer will now enter a six month period of negotiation with North Tyneside Council to negotiate the details of the project.

They will also discuss finances and draw up a timetable for realising the scheme.

Earlier this year the government announced £7.5m of aid to regenerate Whitley Bay.

The money is to help renovate the seafront, to get private investment into Spanish City, and to get work started on a new shopping mall.

The Spanish City was opened in 1910 and designed by Robert Burns Dick, who was also the architect for Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery.

It earned its name in 1904 when Charles Elderton, who ran the Theatre Royal in Hebburn, South Tyneside.

He brought his toreadors concert party troupe to perform there.

The Spanish City became the Empress Ballroom in 1920. In 1979 the Retundar Ballroom was converted into the Starlight Rooms.