Sunderland news
LEGENDARY BOOKSHOP TO BE REBORN
Record – the Port of Sunderland shipped over 140,000 tonnes of cargo during the first nine months of the year .
EXPORTS HIGH
The former home to legendary institution Hills Bookshop is to be revived to boost Sunderland ’ s arts and cultural scene .
The landmark building at Waterloo Place in the city centre is to be transformed into an independent arts and cultural venue by local entrepreneurs Mark Burns Cassell and Vincent Todd .
The duo are behind Sunderland-based Norfolk Street Arts , and together they are converting the 5,600-sq ft former bookstore into a vibrant mixed-use facility , set to open inside 12 months .
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Success story celebrates 20th year with £ 3m investment
A Sunderland success story celebrating its 20th anniversary is starting its next chapter with a multi-million-pound investment in the city that gave it a chance and a home .
Onyx Scientific , founded by Denise Bowser ( pictured ), started out at the North East Business and Innovation Centre ( BIC ) in Sunderland in 2000 with just seven members of staff and an empty unit .
Fast forward to today and the drug research , development and manufacturing specialist has established itself as a leading name in the life sciences industry .
The firm employs 70 people at five units in the city , boasts a global client list and has branched out into a site in the USA .
Port sees exports grow as it helps keep Britain moving
The Wear region ’ s port is on course to
record a three-year high for export volumes , despite facing a series of extraordinary external challenges .
Port of Sunderland , which is owned and operated by Sunderland City Council , has already seen export levels for the first three quarters exceed last year ’ s annual total and is on track to record its best year since 2017 .
The port shipped over 140,000 tonnes of cargo during the first nine months of the year , despite having to adapt to the requirements of a new external marketplace .
The port played a vital role in sustaining several of the country ’ s key sectors and supply chains during the crisis , including tissue manufacture , offshore survey , construction and agriculture .
Matthew Hunt , director of Port of Sunderland , said : “ While the last seven months have thrown up a whole host of unforeseen challenges , we couldn ’ t be any prouder of how our staff have risen to the challenge of keeping Britain trading throughout this crisis .
“ As an island nation , UK ports handle 95 per cent of all of our import and export cargo by volume – about 500 million tonnes of freight per year – therefore keeping ships moving and goods flowing has been critical to our survival . As the pandemic unfortunately continues , we are more than ready to rise to the challenge of maintaining
Footbridge set to take major step forward this momentum .”
The port – which was bolstered by an £ 8.2m investment after areas of its estate were granted Enterprise Zone ( EZ ) status in 2017 – recently announced the completion of a multi-million-pound road improvements project and a major improvement programme to its East Shore nine-acre development site , both of which will make the hub more attractive for inward investors and help improve the flow of goods through the port .
The overall investment was awarded by the North East LEP and is the latest in a programme of wider strategic investment across Sunderland to enable export-driven activities to take place and to build on the existing growth at Port of Sunderland .
The North East LEP has made Port of Sunderland – and Sunderland at large – a key area of focus when considering maritime investment and job creation .
Matthew added : “ Over the past few months we ’ ve seen work complete on our road improvement programme , enabling works come to a close on the East Shore Enterprise Zone , and reported rising export volumes , all while adjusting to a global pandemic .
“ I can ’ t recall a period of such challenge but also opportunity for the port , and we ’ ve absolutely risen to both .”
A footbridge that will connect Sunderland city centre to the Stadium of Light is set to take an important step forward .
An application was expected to be made to government to gain permission to progress with a pedestrian bridge , that will connect the former Vaux Brewery site to the South of the river with Sheepfolds to the North .
The bridge is a centrepiece of a delivery plan that was released in October , and that sets out how Riverside Sunderland – comprising the former Vaux site , Farringdon Row , Galleys Gill , High Street West and Sheepfolds – will transform over the coming decade .