Funding sought for Cullercoats watch house repairs

The watch house has been damaged by the sea air and needs funding for repairs

A community in North Tyneside is raising money to repair the historic watch house in Cullercoats.

The Grade II listed building is in need of restoration work that will cost around £350,000.

Over £123,000 has been raised so far but the trustees are seeking further funding to reach the total.

The damage includes serious rot, eroded stonework and other structural damage, which all needs to be fixed.

A spokesperson for North Tyneside Council says that the building, which is on the clifftop overlooking the North Sea, has suffered as a result of the sea air.

It was built in 1879 for the local lifeboat service on the site of a fisherman's lookout and incorporated a pre-existing clocktower.

'Fantastic response'

Architects Ainsworth Spark Associates have drawn up plans to renovate and restore the building's original features by reopening boarded-up windows and uncovering a vaulted ceiling.

There will also be underfloor heating, disabled access including accessible toilets and a new outside events space.

The chairman of the Cullercoats watch house trustees, Frank Taylor, said that so far the community response has been fantastic but that there is more to do.

"We need to find more funding to hit our target," he said. "And we'd love to hear from any potential volunteers with a background in IT, finance and marketing who can join the team.

"This is an incredible building. We're already putting on a packed schedule of community events including energy-bill advice sessions, [evening] classes, knit-and-natter, yoga, meditation, sea-shanty nights, gigs and a rockpool school," said Mr Taylor.