Whitley Bay Station closed as workers assess Storm Otto canopy damage

Nexus, the company which operates Tyne and Wear Metro, have said Whitley Bay Station will remain closed as engineers continue to assess the damage caused to the canopy in the aftermath of Storm Otto last week.

The canopy, which is a Grade II Listed structure, suffered damage last week as the storm's 75mph winds battered the station, leaving its roof damaged after a glass panel fell close to a nearby vendor on Friday (February 17) morning.

A Nexus spokesperson has thanked customers for their patience regarding the disruption and said a further update will be provided once engineers have determined the extent of the damage.

Read more: Whitley Bay Metro remains closed due to damage from Storm Otto

They said: “Metro services between North Shields and Monkseaton are suspended while the canopy at Whitley Bay Metro station undergoes a safety inspection after it was damaged by Storm Otto.

“Whitley Bay Metro station remains closed to the public.

“A replacement bus service, 900, us operating in the affected area and we have ticket acceptance on local bus routes 51, 53, 54, 57, 306 and 308 running between Monkseaton and North Shields and on to Newcastle.

“We thank customers for their patience during this ongoing disruption.

“Our engineers are assessing the condition of the canopy at the station, which is a Grade II Listed structure. When that is completed we will provide a further update.”

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This comes after The Sustenance Society, an independent baker that trades on the station concourse every Friday and Saturday shared a photo on their social media following the incident that showed the broken glass panel and the damage done to their stall, saying that they were "very lucky [to] live through this without a scratch."

They said: "We had to throw away everything on the stall as it was covered in broken glass."

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After the incident a Nexus spokesperson said: “Gale force winds brought down a glass roof a panel at Whitley Bay Metro station this morning. Nobody was injured.

“The station has been closed to the public while our structural engineers conduct a detailed inspection to ensure that it is safe for it to re-open.

“Metro services are currently running through Whitley Bay station without stopping there."