THE DOME - an iconic landmark

Photo Courtesy of Becky Davis.

The Spanish City became the focus of the magnificent sea front at Whitley Bay in 1910.

Although the town seems to have always had a great affection for the building, it has had a chequered history, over the course of the past century providing a home to the Empress Ballroom, a cinema, night clubs, amusement arcades and live music.

In 1979 £4.50 would get you three cabaret acts, dancers and the house band, dinner and dancing till 11.30!

The curiosity of the name derives from the Toreadors, a popular group of entertainers who were regulars in the Whitley Bay summer season from 1904 to 1910 – there seems to be no evidence that they ever played in the venue which was, apparently, named for them!

The fairground behind the building is, of course, most prominent in today’s memories. In 1910 there were rides which would impress even the young and experienced Theme Park visitor of today, with a really impressive (outdoor!) water slide.

The iconic Whitley Bay Domewas central to the culture, as well as the geography of Whitley Bay, well into the 1980s, when the funfair behind the dome started to become uneconomic – there was not enough space to compete with the big theme parks – and we have had 20 years of mixed attempts to find a good use for the building, which will both give local people a reason to visit and attract visitors to the town from the rest of the UK and beyond.

Culture Quarter want to give this famous landmark a new lease of life – a bright and long-lasting future role in the cultural life of the town, the Borough and the Region.

We want to see the Dome and it’s associated spaces turned into a vibrant and lively Arts and Culture centre, allowing residents and visitors access to a varied range of activities and events. From art exhibitions and rehearsal rooms to resurrecting ballroom dance events and theatre performances, the Dome will once again be a hive of activity open to the public throughout the year.

Culture Quarter has already started running a range of events in and around Whitley Bay and will continue to do so through 2009 and into 2010. Once the Dome is completely refurbished, and ready to be opened, we aim to be the primary operator of events within the venue, as well as looking to develop some other possibilities like Mind Sports Tournaments and Civil Wedding Ceremonies.

We still look to local residents to provide ideas and inspiration for the type of events they would like to see run in the Dome, and what they would like to participate in.

Keep an eye on our WHAT’S ON GUIDE to see what events we have coming up, or come and see us for a chat about any ideas you have for future events we may be able to run.

For further information on this or anything else simply contact us