Plans for Stack at Whitley Bay's Spanish City

Issued by Stack
The Danieli Group has submitted plans for a Stack at Spanish City in Whitley Bay. Credit: Danieli Group

Plans have been put forward to turn a 113-year-old former ballroom into a street food entertainment venue.

The former Empress Ballroom, in Whitley Bay, is the latest venue which could be taken over by Stack, the company known for its shipping container venues.

The Danieli Group has submitted plans for the development, which is part of Whitley Bay's Spanish City.

Built in 1910, the Ballroom – which regularly hosted upwards of 750 dancers – went on to become the Carlton Club bingo hall before lying empty and falling into disrepair.

The submitted proposals include plans for an external roof terrace.

Neill Winch, chief executive of the Danieli Group, said: “Not only will it bring a new dimension to the existing leisure offering but subject to planning and licensing, it will bring an underutilised building – and much-loved heritage asset - back into use.

“We are delighted to hopefully be able to continue to build Stack’s strong presence in the North East with this new and exciting venture.”

Owner Mark Holmes added: “When we bought the Empress Ballroom, we had a vision for the magnificent venue, it’s really a hidden treasure in the Spanish City.

“Our plans were good, but now Neill Winch and STACK have turbo charged these plans and I am convinced they will deliver the quality venue that will benefit Whitley Bay, residents, and the whole community.”

If approved, the Whitley Bay venue will join a growing list of Stacks, with one in Seaburn, near Sunderland, and proposed developments in Durham, Middlesbrough, Bishop Auckland, Carlisle, Newcastle and Lincoln.

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