This week, ChronicleLive dives into the hottest topics trending in the North East, from storms to TV dramas and local infrastructure issues.
Newcastle: It’s been quite a week, hasn’t it? Storm Éowyn really made its presence felt, with strong winds causing all sorts of chaos. Lorries were flipping over, and transport was a mess. If you had to go out, you probably faced some serious delays.
Schools in Tyne and Wear, especially in Northumberland, closed down to keep everyone safe. And let’s not forget the power cuts—over 40,000 homes were left in the dark at one point. What a hassle!
Then there’s the Gateshead flyover. It’s been closed since just before Christmas, and folks are getting pretty fed up. The council is now planning to demolish it, hoping to finally move forward with some redevelopment plans. But it sounds like the demolition will take a whole year. Yikes!
On another note, the BBC licence fee is set to rise soon, and there’s been a petition to scrap it for pensioners. The government clarified that the BBC handles the free licences for over-75s, but it seems like the fee isn’t going anywhere just yet.
And what about the Tyne Bridge? There’s still a wait for that £6 million in funding for repairs. The Prime Minister didn’t give any guarantees, which is a bit worrying. Plus, there’s been a search for a man who reportedly fell into the river from the bridge. If you know anything, the police want to hear from you.
Lastly, on the entertainment front, ITV’s new drama “Out There” is pulling in viewers, while “Dancing On Ice” had its first elimination. Chelsee Healy was sent home, and she seemed pretty grateful for the experience despite the tough competition.
