THE dancing spirit of a former South Tyneside councillor will live on with the opening of a £35,000 suite where people can strut their stuff.
Coun Barrie Scorer died in December, 2009, aged 63, months after undergoing a double heart bypass operation at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
The former councillor, who served the people of Jarrow for almost 40 years, loved dancing, particularly at Jarrow Community Centre, where he served as chairman.
Now The Barrie Scorer Dance Suite has been unveiled in his memory at the centre in Cambrian Street.
The new dance room, paid for by centre officials, has been officially opened by Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn.
Mr Hepburn said: “I think this is a fitting tribute to Barrie, who was passionate about Jarrow Community Centre and spent a lot of time here.
“The centre has undergone some big improvements recently, and I know Barrie would have loved to see this new facility in his name.”
Joyce Murray, a good friend of Mr Scorer for 34 years, said: “Barrie loved to dance, especially in Jarrow Community Centre, which was like a second home to him.
“He was always the first up on the dance floor and he would have loved the new studio.”
Centre manager Lesley Jones said the new dance room was “the perfect tribute” to Mr Scorer.
She said: “Barrie always had classical or some other kind of music playing in the centre, which he loved to dance to, and he would have really enjoyed to see the recent improvements at Jarrow CA.
“We have our Jarrow Dance and Performance Academy based at the studio, and people use the facility for everything from tap to street dancing and disco, plus we have a highly popular dance group based in the studio, called the Dolly Mixtures.”
For more details about The Barrie Scorer Dance Suite, call Jarrow CA on 489 4100.
Twitter: @terrykelly16