Official Opening of the Great North Museum
Nick visiting the new Great North Museum earlier this year with Tyne and Wear Museums Director Alec Coles
Last week Nick joined the Queen at Barras Bridge for the official opening of the Great North Museum. Over the past few years the old Hancock Museum site has benefited from a £23m upgrade. With everything from a planetarium to a lifesize T-Rex, the new exhibition is expected to bring 300 000 visitors a year, and provide over 200 local jobs.
This is just one of a range of cultural attractions that have opened across the North East this decade. The Sage in Gateshead can attract artists of international standing. Museums across the North East attract more than 3 million visitors every year. Segedunum Roman Fort at Wallsend was voted one of the top ten museums in the world by the Sunday Times.
These developments play a key part in promoting the North East as a tourist destination. Tourism accounts for about 5% of our regional, as well as a similar proportion of jobs. We’re well placed to take advantage of the extra visitors who will come to Britain for the Olympics in 2012.
Nick is backing the campaign to make sure that St James’ Park will play a key part in England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.
The Labour Government’s decision to scrap entry fees for museums and art galleries in 2001 has meant more visitors than ever before, and the move has been backed up by investment in a range of new attractions. This year’s Government schemes to provide free swimming and free theatre tickets for youngsters have also proved popular.
Unfortunately, Newcastle City Council’s response to the free swimming initiative has been to propose shutting the smaller of the two pools at the City Baths. Nick is backing Newcastle’s Labour Councillors in their bid to keep it open.
Nick said: “It’s crazy that at a time when the Labour Government has introduced free swimming provision for the under 16’s and over 60’s and is investing millions of pounds to create dedicated, 21st century facilities for our youngsters, the Council propose to close a popular, well used swimming pool. The money provided by the Government was designed to add provision for young people, but not at the expense of existing, well used leisure facilities.”