Excitement as plans lodged for new Whitley Bay STACK

Danieli Group has submitted plans to house a new STACK development in the former Empress Ballroom, at Whitley Bay - originally part of the town’s Spanish City.

If the plans are successful, the development group hope to "bring the 113-year-old building back to the forefront" of the seaside town's entertainment scene. 

The new STACK venue plans were submitted this week, and include proposals external roof terrace built and the premises licence application. 

Read more: STACK to open new multi-storey venue in Durham city centre

The Empress Ballroom (Image: PR)

The town may be expecting to see a venue similar to the existing STACKs  - a chain of popular nightlife venues across the North East - with a stage for live entertainment, street food, and drink outlets. 

Built in 1910, the Empress Ballroom regularly hosted upwards of 750 dancers, and went on to become the Carlton Club bingo hall before lying empty and falling into disrepair.

Plans by current owner Mark Holmes to transform it into a leisure and community venue were delayed by Covid and now, although planning permission for a leisure venue is in place, Danieli Group has applied for a variation of the plans to create STACK Whitley Bay.

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Neill Winch, CEO of the Danieli Group, believes STACK would be “a great addition” to the town.

“Not only will it bring a new dimension to the existing leisure offering,” he said, “but,

“subject to planning and licensing, it will bring an underutilised building – and much-loved heritage asset - back into use.

“We are delighted to hopefully be able to continue to build STACK’s strong presence in the North East with this new and exciting venture.”

Owner Mark Holmes added: “When we bought the Empress Ballroom, we had a vision for the magnificent venue, it’s really a hidden treasure in the Spanish City.

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“Our plans were good, but now Neill Winch and STACK have turbocharged these plans and I am convinced they will deliver the quality venue that will benefit Whitley Bay, residents, and the whole community.”

If successful, Whitley Bay will be added to the fast-growing portfolio of STACKs being created in the North East and beyond.

STACK Seaburn in Sunderland is taking off, and locations are progressing in Durham, Middlesbrough, Bishop Auckland, and Carlisle, as well as new sites in Newcastle and Lincoln are being created.