South Shields anyone?

ella_ella_ella

Does anyone here live in South Shields or has anyone here been to the Sandhaven caravan site in South Shields?

Im looking at going for a weekend as its really close to the beach but it gets quite bad reviews and seems as though it has/has had building work going on.

This will be our very first outing in the caravan and I dont want to go somewhere terrible so any advice greatly received!

Oh, we are more intersted in the beach for our 17 month old than anything else so only really thinking about the camp site and child friendly things to do

charis18uk

I'm from the North East and IMO South Shields is a complete dive. Chav central! If your after lovely beaches and a laid back weekend you can go a further 30 mins up the coast to Northumberland where they have award winning beaches and some wonderful scenery. South shields is ok if you fancy outdated fair ground rides, amusements that steal your money and don't work and an army of youths drinking white lightning. It can get particularly unsavoury towards the early evening too. Not somewhere I would want to take a small child.

Try somewhere near Druridge Bay, Amble, Bamburgh etc.

ella_ella_ella

charis18uk wrote: »

I'm from the North East and IMO South Shields is a complete dive. Chav central! If your after lovely beaches and a laid back weekend you can go a further 30 mins up the coast to Northumberland where they have award winning beaches and some wonderful scenery. South shields is ok if you fancy outdated fair ground rides, amusements that steal your money and don't work and an army of youths drinking white lightning. It can get particularly unsavoury towards the early evening too. Not somewhere I would want to take a small child.

Try somewhere near Druridge Bay, Amble, Bamburgh etc.

:eek: Thanks, I think!!

I live in the North East too and have always enjoyed South Shields hence the holiday there but im not too sure now...

I looked further up the coast but couldnt find any sites literally right on the sea as this one is. Is South Shields really that bad? Any South Shielders out there!?

bazza1603

Agree with charis18uk

Run away!... Agree Northumberland is better. Yes South Shields is really that bad

Bongedone

Have a look at Seahouses. There are a few sites there. You can see Bamburgh Castle from there. It also has a nice beach and excellent chip shops. My aunty has a caravan on a site right in town about a minute from the beach. I am not sure of the name of the site though.

South Shields is full of sand dancers and is a boozy place for young ones. Used to go over there on Saturdays clubbing when I where a lad.

Mark_Hewitt

Agree with what everyone has said about South Sheilds. Definitely past its best, and it wasn't too great when I was a lad.

OK for a day trip to go to the beach (even then!) but avoid otherwise.

On the other hand, I have to agree, Seahouses is just magical, as are most places on the Northumberland coast. There is a caravan site right on the coast at Seahouses, but I'm not sure if they are available for rental or not.

eslick

you are living in the past, the beaches are the best in the area, miles and miles of excellent quality beaches, brand new kids play areas in a revamped marine park (victorian park with small steam train), over 2 million spent on soft play and resturaunts in the fair ground. Best ice cream and award winning fish and chips served to the queen amongst other, best curry houses in the north east, new shopping including Desire by Debenhams, Next, BHS just off the main shopping street.

The evenings have also changed, its been a long time since it was a party place all of that has moved up to Newcastle.

Its also close by to other attractions, 10 minutes to Newcastle on the Metro.

The holiday park is changing its been bought by a private company from the council and is going through some building with new caravans and other things being built.

There might be are other places that might be nicer but to be honest Seahouses is nice in places and quite bad in others even just the drive in isnt that good and you cant spend to long in there as its so small.

Dont worry about it you will have a good time, we live quite close and our kids, 6 and 3 love the beach and would be there every day if they could.

ella_ella_ella

Thanks for your replies, really quite suprised to see so many agreeing that its not a nice place to go as I have been a few times for the day and always enjoyed it.

I will try to find the site mentioned at Seahouses next to the sea but I think we are going to book for South Shields, my only concern is rowdy teens and whether we would feel safe, although we wouldnt we out walking or drinking after 7pm anyway

Do you live in South Shields itself eslick?

Mark_Hewitt

eslick wrote: »

you are living in the past, the beaches are the best in the area, miles and miles of excellent quality beaches, brand new kids play areas in a revamped marine park (victorian park with small steam train),

I did like the little steam train when I were a bairn!

best curry houses in the north east,

Ocean road is renouned for good Curry houses.

new shopping including Desire by Debenhams, Next, BHS

BHS eh? Just what you need for a great holiday!

Its also close by to other attractions, 10 minutes to Newcastle on the Metro.

10 minutes? Has time warp drive been added to the metro trains then? Granted the trains are every 10 minutes, but certainly not 10 minutes to Newcastle. More like 30-45 minutes. Plus of course the station itself is about 15 minutes walk from the seafront.

There might be are other places that might be nicer but to be honest Seahouses is nice in places and quite bad in others even just the drive in isnt that good and you cant spend to long in there as its so small.

Drive in isn't that good? Strange comment! Yes, it's small but that's part of the charm, you don't go to a place like that to sit there all day, it's a base for exploring the area.

Dont worry about it you will have a good time, we live quite close and our kids, 6 and 3 love the beach and would be there every day if they could.

I imagine they would . I did like South Sheilds in my younger days, as you say mostly for the beach.

lufcgirl

South Shields is ok for a day trip over to the amusement arcades and fairground, but for a holiday I'd never suggest it. I'd rather stay in Newcastle and go there for a day. I'm from a place half an hour drive down the road so been often.

A lot of my friends go there on nights out and they've said it's really rough over there, lots of fighting and stuff and the locals always see it as a cheaper alternative to Newcastle so stay there. Also theres a lot of kids hanging round the fairground, by the park. It's nowhere near as good as it was when I was a kid!

Mark_Hewitt

I've just re-read and it says you have a 17-month old. Who will only care about, *beach* and not much else . South Sheilds is more interesting to the 6-7 year old upwards IMO.

Anyway, since you live in County Durham, why are you going on holiday to South Shields, that's day trip distance that!

Get yourself away up the Northumberland Coast, you won't regret it!