Pizzaland restaurant, Grey Street, Newcastle, 1989(Image: Newcastle Libraries)

Tyneside in 1989: 10 archive photographs recalling scenes around the region 35 years ago

From Newcastle’s Pizzaland restaurant, to Wallsend’s Forum shopping centre - 10 photos of Tyneside in 1989

by · ChronicleLive

If you worked or socialised in Newcastle in the 1980s, you might well have eaten at this place - Pizzaland which was situated at the top of Grey Street.

These days you’ll find a branch of the HSBC UK bank trading in the handsome building. Interestingly, 100 years ago, the premises were occupied by a now-forgotten cinema - the Grey Street Picture House.

The building had originally been home to the Victoria Music Hall and billiard saloon, but in 1914 was converted into a cinema showing the latest silent films of the day. In 1930, it became a ‘talkies’ cinema, but was one of the last in Newcastle to convert and, falling on hard times, closed after showing its last movie in 1932.

Fast forward to the 1980s and Pizzaland was an ideal city centre spot to grab a 12-inch pepperoni and a glass of wine. In 1996, the chain, which the restaurant had been part of, was sold and the Pizzaland brand disappeared from the UK high street. Our photograph is one of 10 we’ve pulled from the archive that recall some of what was going on around Tyneside in 1989.

In other photographs from 35 years ago, we see Newcastle United’s first Brazilian star, Mirandinha, leading the line against Derby County during a 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park. It would be a wretched season for the Magpies who would be relegated, alongside North East rivals Middlesbrough, at the end of the campaign.

In an age before the arrival of the internet and emails, the Mayor of South Tyneside and international skater Joanne Conway were photographed in South Shields with some of the thousands of postal entries for the 1989 Great North Run. In Wallsend, it was another day at the town’s bustling Forum shopping centre - and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, Sister Joan Murray was hard at work.

In the wider world, 1989 was a year when we watched the fall of the Berlin Wall, witnessed the groundbreaking launch of Sky TV, and were horrified by the football disaster at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool supporters.

On UK television this year, there were debuts for Byker Grove, which was set in Newcastle, A Bit Of Fry And Laurie, and Birds Of A Feather. At the cinema, popular films included When Harry Met Sally, Dead Poets’ Society, and Batman. And for pop fans, the UK singles chart from this week in 1989 featured Black Box with Ride On Time, Tina Turner with The Best, and Cher with If I Could Turn Back Time.

Our 10 archive photographs recall scenes around Tyneside 35 years ago.

Pizzaland restaurant, Grey Street, Newcastle, 1989(Image: Newcastle Libraries)
In the pre-internet world of June 1989, skater Joanne Conway and the Mayor of South Tyneside, Coun Danny Maidment, with postal entries for that year's Great North Run(Image: Mirrorpix)
Sister Joan Murray in one of the treatment rooms at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, September 1989(Image: Mirrorpix)
The Forum shopping centre, Segedunum Way, Wallsend, November 1989(Image: Mirrorpix)