South Shields ‘horrendous’ shop sign update as residents react with fury
South Tyneside residents have reacted to a new sign on an historic South Shields building.
Over the course of the last week, signage for a ‘Shields European Store’ had been put in place above the front entrance to the former Barclay’s Bank building, on King Street.
The change to the the Grade-II listed South Shields building prompted residents to take to social media to express their concerns about how it looks against the backdrop of the historic site.
A comment with a hint of sarcasm on the Shields Gazette Facebook page said the sign “fits right in with the Victorian architecture”, while another simply put: “It’s horrendous.”
On Thursday morning (August 28), Emma Lewell, the Member of Parliament for South Shields, posted an update on the sign via her X account.
The MP confirmed that the sign from the former bank had been removed.
The building was put up for sale in February 2024 for an asking price of £375,000 following Barclay’s decision to relocate its South Shields branch to another location, further up King Street.
Due to the site being a listed building, South Tyneside Council approved plans in June 2024 to “decommission” the former bank use for the site.
This included removing signage and external lights, removing cash machines and infilling the spaces with matching stonework, as well as removing an alarm box and night safe.
The organisation stated that planned to convent the building into 26 one-bedroomed and studio apartments, subject to planning approval from South Tyneside Council.