Tyneside has fought its portrayal by MTV show Geordie Shore by winning a national award for a culture-packed street.

South Shore Road in Gateshead, which boasts the Baltic art gallery, and the Sage music venue was named Britain's hippest street as part of the 2011 Google Street View Awards.

South Shore Road is across the river from Riverside night club, where contestants of the reality show brawled with locals in episode two.

Tourism bosses are delighted after fears that Geordie Shore was depicting the region as booze-fuelled, promiscuous and shallow.

Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council, said: "Tens of thousands of visitors come to South Shore Road every year to visit Baltic, take a stroll across the Millennium Bridge and listen to great music at The Sage Gateshead.

"It says everything that it needs to be said about Gateshead - modern, hip, stylish and ambitious."

The road fought off competition from Whitecross Street in London, Lisburn Road in Belfast and Call Lane in Leeds to bag the accolade.

South Shore Road in Gateshead was nominated for the hippest street award by lifestyle journalist Chrissy Iley, for its stunning views and cultural importance.

The North East's image was further boosted by an idyllic cobbled street in a Northumberland market town winning Britain's best shopping street.

Alnwick's Bondgate Within won the award for its cobbled streets and traditional buildings.

Bondgate Within was nominated by David Else, lead author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain. He said: “Part of a triangle of streets around the old market building in this historic Northumberland town, it offers a great mix of high street stores and supermarkets, with a wide choice of independent stores.”

Alnwick Mayor, Alan Symmonds, said: “I’m delighted that Bondgate Within has won this prestigious Google Street View award.

“It more than holds its own in the formidable list of nominees.

“The street is characterised by a large number of individual shops, many of which are well-established family businesses and all of which pride themselves on offering a personal service to their customers.

“This award follows others for Alnwick and confirms that it is a wonderful place in which to live, and a fantastic centre for tourists.”

Local county councillor Gordon Castle said: “This is great news for our town and follows on from the Country Life magazine accolade of best place to live in Great Britain a few years ago.”

Last week MTV defended the controversial reality TV show following criticism by an MP.

Kerry Taylor, director of television at MTV networks UK and Ireland, was positive about the show after Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah wrote to the company expressing her concerns.

In her letter, Ms Taylor incorrectly addressed Ms Onwurah as Mr before hailing the fact Newcastle had been chosen to host the UK version of American show Jersey Shore.

“Since announcing the commission on 21 January, MTV UK has received an overwhelming response from fans of the show across the UK – particularly from those located within the North East – confirming our belief that this is fantastic news for both the UK community and for the city of Newcastle.

With ‘Jersey Shore’ currently attracting an audience of more than eight million people worldwide, we are confident there is no better place than the UK to carry on this success.”

Chi Onwurah said: “When I wrote to Ms Taylor before the show aired she promised a showcase for Newcastle and respect for our culture. The fact she addressed the reply to Mr Onwurah should have told me she didn’t know what she was talking about.”

The Labour MP added: “MTV is a cheap, research-free channel in a desperate race to the bottom over ratings, misrepresenting our city and culture.”