You are right Brian, if you remember they demolished most of the streets on the right hand side heading towards Gateshead High Street, then they started building, I don’t know what happened but for some reason only a few houses were built, it stayed that way fir many years then they completed the development.

As far as shopping goes there are only a couple of shops apart from the Aldi you referred to, Sunderland Road was such a vibrant place, mind you the original streets leading off Sunderland Road were a bit run down towards the end before they were demolished.

When my late mum passed away it was one of her requests that after the church service at St Mary’s, Heworth, her coffin was driven along Sunderland Road then onto Bensham Crematorium, as we were in the first lockdown due to covid no church service was allowed, thankfully the drive along Sunderland Road, depressing as it was, took place.