The Poolie Bunker

Did they move up Clarence Rd

Probably the legal documents relating to the sale of Hartlepools United to Able UK.

Gull nesting stops demolition of Engineers or so it seems.

It's looking at the Vic.
Debateing whether to renew its Free ST on top of the Cyril Knowles Stand.

Ah fuck it.

The footballs just as bad as the half time chips.

I think its the one who shit on my shoulder at the last home game. So much for good luck eh!

Can they not just relocate it, to the new gull hotel down the Marina?

On second thoughts maybe they're fully booked!

The Kittiwake hotel at Middleton is reserved specifically for them only. An Albatross will be manning the reception with strict instructions to check out all arrivals.
However if you go there you will see what looks like some birds nesting on the structure but they in fact are dummies to entice others. Its been built at a great cost to mitigate disturbance due to the new wind farm at the Dogger Bank but it is not expected to be occupied for 4/5 years. The current Pooly Kittiwakes live on a building opposite the Fishermans arms on the Headland and on the lifeboat structure at Middleton.

Now if i didnt know this and someone told me this i would be convinced they where on drugs.

No room at the Inn then!

Sounds like we've got more chance of Raj selling up, than the gull being evicted! (both of which are negligible at best)

Kittiwakes are not noted for their sophistication …so given the choice of staying in their chosen roof top homes adjoining the Fish Quay (fast food) or some poncey pad over at Middleton, I suspect their choice is onvious.
According to reports on work on the Tyne Bridge the Kittiwakes are top of the bird shit table for accuracy and no too fragrant smell.

Several years ago £25m (2022?)was allocated to the town partial demolition of the shopping centre, film studio development plus other projects but nothing seems to happen here quickly.
The demolition of the Clansman corridor of the shopping centre is no further forward and no one is saying anything (it should not be a secret ). Someone said the indoor market area is coming down too but that may be a rumour.The Clippy club is still there. Work on the demolition of engineers has stopped. It looks like we are getting what appears to be a car wash next to the Travellers Rest pub but there is no planning permission for it on the Councils portal.
Everything is about as transparent as a brick wall.
Has the chancellor sucked this money back or is it political infighting between HBC and Ben Houchen.
In the scale of things £25m is peanuts and would make a big difference to a town the size of this one.

The Market Hall is due for demolition because of safety concerns about RAAC being used albeit wouldn’t that apply to the rest of the shopping centre ?

I have not seen anything on an official document/statement saying the indoor market is coming down so i am just treating it as a rumour unless you have seen anything. I would have thought the whole shopping centre is made of the same concrete but i dont know.

An a AI report, when you Google now you get an AI opinion, looking further afield there is currently no plans to demolish it.
The Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, constructed in the late 1960s, is also being assessed for RAAC. Adept CSCE was instructed to conduct RAAC inspections in May 2024, according to Adept Consulting Engineers

Engineers club update.

The seagull has won. All work stopped and the digger has been removed from the site.

Staincliffe is getting a new roof…it appears it is repairable despite contrary comments.

yes work seems to be progressing.

Just seen this from HBC regarding the £25m "given" in 2021.
Some has happened or progressing but the £13.8m for the shopping centre remains.
The redevelopment (partial demolition) of Billingham town centre has not progressed either and was a part of the "Town Deal".
Do you feel that someone is taking the piss?

In 2022, the Council developed strong business cases for five transformational projects and following approval by the governments Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, all five schemes are now entering their delivery phase from May 2023 to March 2026. The five projects are:

The £13.8m Reimagining Middleton Grange shopping centre, delivering a restored and repurposed Grade II heritage building, the former Binns Department Store designed for new flexible, mixed use space and new civic public space at the redefined ‘Heart of Hartlepool’
A £1.4m investment in the Grade II listed Wesley Chapel in partnership with Jomast to restore as a 36 bedroom boutique hotel and hospitality venue with commercial units
A £6.2m Waterfront Connectivity project comprising public realm and connectivity enhancements around the marina in order to realise the potential of this area, integrate new land uses and provide the opportunity for improved connections between the waterfront, the town centre and the train station.
A £1.25m investment in a new Health and Social Care Academy in partnership with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust delivering state of the art, wide ranging skills and training opportunities including simulation of ‘at home’ Health and Care scenarios such as community health, dementia care and child and vulnerable adult safeguarding.
A £2.25m Civil Engineering Academy in partmership with Seymours Civil Engineering to enable increased capacity for learning and skills development including rail infrastructure, welding and fabrication, groundworks and wider civil engineering activities.

I only know of the Seymour one and the Wesley obviously asimplemented the Shopping Centre one sticks out like a sore thumb.

The £13.8m Reimagining Middleton Grange shopping centre, delivering a restored and repurposed Grade II heritage building, the former Binns Department Store designed for new flexible, mixed use space and new civic public space at the redefined ‘Heart of Hartlepool’
What does that mean in laymen’s terms, convert it into flats like they did with the old Coop building ?

Taking the wrecking ball to the Clansman and the old post office corridor and planting grass and trees and doing the Binns building up and filling it with council "workers". Bit of paint and signage elsewhere.The is a rumour about the condition of the old market hall and possible demolition but thats just speculation.
Oh how i miss Billy Bretts and the toffee apples.

Not the coconut toffee apples though.

The best ones had the huge amount of toffee on the top. I used to ask the wifey for the biggest.

Just seen this on the "Tees Live" site February 2025(Gazette i think).

So it might be all tied up with the "Big Red Palace" or "Kremlin" which may now be half empty. A 100 lb bomb should do it.

"A lot of discussion" has been held around redeveloping Hartlepool's Civic Centre and the surrounding area according to council chiefs -however no decisions have been made.

"Hartlepool Borough Council's capital strategy for 2025/26 to 2027/28 notes the redevelopment potential of the 'Civic Quarter' is one of the investment priorities as part of its town centre masterplan. The area includes the Civic Centre in Victoria Road, which is home to the local authority, along with the neighbouring empty Hartlepool Magistrates' Court building.

Speaking at the latest full council meeting, Independent Union councillor Shane Moore asked if there was an update on where the council is "with any options for replacing" the Civic Centre and "any time frames for moving forward."

Labour's Councillor Brenda Harrison, council leader, responded: "As far as the 'Civic Quarter' is concerned, I think there has been a lot of discussion around it, but there are no firm details to let you know at the moment. As soon as there is a plan it will be publicised."

The council's town centre masterplan summary report from May 2021 noted the aims of any redevelopment of the site would include enhancing connectivity, bringing activity and vibrancy to the town centre, along with a "positive frontage on to Victory Square." Meanwhile the Hartlepool Mayoral Development Corporation masterplan, approved in 2023, lists the Civic Centre redevelopment as a "medium" term project, for between three and five years.

According to the document, regeneration work would look "to provide opportunities for new mixed use development, attracting new employers and residents" and have a "town centre focus." Other discussions on the capital programme report for 2025/26 to 2027/28 saw councillors praise "amazing" developments taking place in the town, such as the new Highlight leisure centre and the Wesley Chapel renovation."

‘The Civic Quarter….. Anywhere near the Latin Quarter…talk about pretentious.

The Civic Centre was built on the Bull Field i believe so the Bull Quarter would be more appropriate. I bet the building is dropping apart due to its age and costing us a fortune (like NT hospital).Big civic buildings are not needed nowadays as its all online and outsourced so all you need is a small building with a gold plated shitter to impress guests.

There was a nursery on the site…seems fitting somehow

The engineers club is now demolished.
God knows how long it took.

You had a selection

Yes its still demolished but the rubble has been there for months.
Does nothing ever get finished in this town?

get the pools bored in charge. they,d have demolished it before it was closed.

When I drive out of Lauder Street the rubbles it’s there …unless it’s Grade 1 listed rubble…?
I want to know why you’d want to build storage units smack in the centre of town..?

Its bizarre and makes no sense but there is a Black Sheep Coffee Shop ????????????? allegedly!

Great place to store all the Pools ex managers Pools kits, need to be a big warehouse with room for an extension.

I don’t like the way they’ve plastered the Mail Building with gaudy signage that just looks out of proportion and a bit naff.
Anyway, these storage places are all over the shop…what are people storing and when did it take off?