Member Article

Summer Of Sound And Tourism For South Tyneside

~~More than 120,000 visitors are expected in South Tyneside over the next two months, as the borough celebrates a spectacular summer of sound.

Between now and the end of August, South Shields is playing host to a wide range of free live music and family-friendly activities as part of the South Tyneside Summer Festival 2014.

This event, coupled with the borough’s ticketed Sound Waves concert, featuring performances by Texas, All Saints, Gabrielle and Lulu James, is expected to generate more than £1.4m for the North East economy and deliver a knock on boost to businesses across the area.

Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader for South Tyneside Council, which is organising both Sound Waves and the South Tyneside Summer Festival, said: “Summer is historically a very busy time in South Tyneside, thanks in large part to our coastal location and wide range of attractions.

“Visitor numbers have increased dramatically across the annual Summer Festival events in the past 10 years, leading to a record attendance in 2013 and we’re hoping for a 10 per cent growth again this year.

“This, coupled with the addition of the ticketed, Sound Waves concert, should help to increase expenditure in the borough by around 11 per cent compared to the same period last year, and that’s sure to have a positive effect on businesses across the area.”

The South Tyneside Summer Festival, which runs annually from June until the end of August, offers a wide range of free activities for all ages.

Highlights still remaining in this year’s event include brass band performances every Sunday, twice-weekly Kids Fun-Fest events for young people and a series of sport and play beach days, along with three open air concerts headlined by Shayne Ward and B*Witched (July 13), 10cc (July 20) and Heather Small (July 27).

Sound Waves 2014, which is being held on Saturday August 23, is a separate, ticketed concert, featuring high profile performances by Scottish super group Texas, chart-topping girl group All Saints, multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Gabrielle and South Tyneside’s own rising star, soul singer Lulu James.

Tickets for this event, which is also open to all ages, are priced at £30 for adults and £20 for ages five to 16, with a special buy one get one free offer running until July 27.

Cllr Kerr, said: “The Sound Waves concert offers music-lovers the chance to continue the spirit of the South Tyneside Summer Festival and we are keen to ensure it is as affordable and accessible as possible.

“We’re confident that both events together will help to attract more visitors from across the UK and further afield and contribute to a spectacular summer of sound and tourism in South Tyneside.”

Tickets for Sound Waves 2014 are available now from The Customs House, South Shields on 0191 4541234 or www.customshouse.co.uk, The Stadium of Light Box office on 0871 911 1973 or ticket.office@safc.com, Ticketmaster on 0844 8440444 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk and the Visitor Information Centre at Haven Point, South Shields.

For more information visit www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk, search southtynesidevents on Facebook or follow @soundwavesst on Twitter.

You can also find out more about the free events happening as part of the South Tyneside Summer Festival at www.southtyneside.info/summerfestival or by following STynesideEvents on Twitter.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sorted PR .