Sunderland news
PLANS TO REVAMP HISTORIC ELEPHANT TEA ROOMS
SMART MOVE
A historic Sunderland landmark is set to be revamped as part of major regeneration works to preserve the city ’ s heritage .
Detailed plans have been finalised for the external repair and restoration of the Grade II listed Elephant Tea Rooms , including striking new shop fronts inspired by the historic features of the building .
The external rejuvenation of this exceptional building , which is owned by Sunderland City Council , is being supported with funding of £ 350,000 from the City Council , Historic England and the Department for Levelling Up , Housing & Communities ( DLUHC ) through the Future High Street Fund and Heritage Action Zone ( HAZ ) projects .
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Stunning Vaux statue to take pride of place on Keel Square
Sunderland ’ s iconic new dray horses statue will stand on Keel Square , after a planning application was approved for the site of the life-sized piece .
Created by Ray Lonsdale to honour the former Vaux Brewery , the statue , made from corten steel , has secured its place on the corner of Keel Square , looking over the road to the transforming riverside . Commissioned by Sunderland City Council , the public art , entitled ‘ Gan Canny ’, is one of three designed by Ray – who created Seaham ’ s famous Tommy .
Media business targets US success
Wear media business is helping a global
A sports brand break into the US after scooping a deal to handle its American advertising campaigns .
Sunderland based Smart Media – part of the Smart group of companies – has embarked on a media buying campaign for international brand STATSports , a worldleading GPS tracker and sports performance analysis business that counts England heroes Harry Kane , Raheem Sterling and Harry Maguire among its ambassadors .
The Belfast-headquartered firm has opened an office in Chicago and is targeting significant growth in the US , having signed up to a number of high-profile deals with sporting organisations and athletes across the pond .
The company – which has worked with Smart Media in the UK for over a year – has now extended the media buying agency ’ s contract to include deals in the US that will support it in its bid to crack this lucrative growth market .
Mark Clancey , managing director of Smart Media , said : “ We have formed a strong partnership with STATSports in the UK , and we ’ re delighted that they have trusted us enough to allow us to support them in the US , which is new ground for us – as it is for them .
“ This US deal will enable us to grow our business , developing strengths in targeting markets we haven ’ t previously explored , so
Raising a glass to a new career
From growing up in a family business to working for a world-renowned glassmaker in Italy , mature University of Sunderland graduate Antonis Koutouzis is proving it is never too late to change your life .
Antonis , 39 , from Greece , only graduated with a Glass and Ceramics MA this year but has already landed his dream job as a glass technician for the prestigious Berengo Studio we ’ re excited about this campaign ’ s ability not only to grow STATSports ’ business , but to develop a new niche for Smart Media .”
The move into US media buying is a new move for Smart Media , but the sports and leisure sector is one Smart has operated in since it was launched in 2019 .
The firm works with clients including sportswear retailer JD Sports and American Golf among others .
As part of STATSports ’ global expansion plans , Smart is also planning future campaigns in the Netherlands , Germany and France , and even as far afield as Asia in recent months .
Smart has booked campaigns with media partners including NBC Sports , ESPN and Paramount Plus for STATSports , aligning advertising to key sporting events in the US calendar that will reach an audience that is interested in its active pursuits .
Smart Media is one of four core parts of the Smart group of companies , comprising Smart Outdoor , Smart Vision and newlylaunched Smart Communications , alongside Smart Sanitiser , which has also been set up to support clients with innovative new advertising solutions that double-up as sanitisation stations , which will be one enduring legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic .
The Smart business was launched by North-East businessman Mark Catterall , and is based out of the Evolve Business Centre in Sunderland .
in Murano , just north of Venice .
“ I came from Greece , doing a job that wasn ’ t fulfilling for many years and I took a shot at my dream ,” Antonis said .
“ It ends up those dreams can become reality , and all this happened here , at the University of Sunderland .”