Street food, free parking and trams: 11 of your suggestions to improve South Shields town centre

South Tyneside Council has been selected to go through to the next stage of its application to the Future High Streets Fund – a £675million pot which will go towards transforming town centres through capital investments that bring about transformative change.

And the Gazette turned to its readers to find out what you think any money should be spent on, and which ways you think the town could be improved.

You had all kinds of suggestions, from music venues, to new restaurants and a street food market.

Here is what you said:

Andrea Thompson: “I would like to see an area dedicated to artists and crafts people. Somewhere where they could have reasonably priced workshops all together and some sort of retail unit to sell a variety of their stuff.”

Chris Gibson: “There is so much musical talent that comes [out of] Shields, give them a place to showcase it.”

Lauren Jarrett: “Topshop even an Outfit which sold a range like Miss Selfridge, Warehouse. Primark, H&M, more nice varied restaurants and Marks and Spencer would be fab.”

Dawn Eriksson: “Cover King Street in, have nice modern bars/restaurant /cafes.Live music ... and up-market shops. A meeting place for everyone.”

Janet Smith: “I would get the trams up and working down to the coast great for tourism!”

Granny Smith: “Put all the money back into South Tyneside District Hospital.”

Heather Ditchburn Curry: “A more diverse shopping experience.”

Anne Sebastenelli Wade: “Free parking, entice more people to shop here.”

Blayne O’Brien: “Ideally the town centre needs more leisure/restaurants, a industry which has grown greatly over the last 10 years.”

Stephen Sullivan: “We are a seaside town, let’s behave like one, attract people to come from far and wide!”

Steven Porter: “How about a regular street food market? The marketplace is there, let’s use it!”