Celebrating 150 years of iconic Tynemouth church

A special celebration is taking place for a unique building in Tynemouth.
The Land of Green Ginger, in Tynemouth.The Land of Green Ginger, in Tynemouth.
The Land of Green Ginger, in Tynemouth.

The Land of Green Ginger Shopping Arcade is hosting a number of events to mark the sequicentennial anniversary since the building was erected.

It is 150 years since the Congregational Church, in Front Street, was completed – 20 months after the first foundation stone was laid.

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Initial plans for a spire on the building were scrapped due to funding issues, until the necessary money was raised in 1873.

In the 1950s it became the Methodist and Congregational Church, when religion became less popular, and funds were depleted.

The church had to close in 1973 and the building became empty for many years before it was bought and converted into a shopping arcade, restaurant, crafts centre and flat and bedsitting accommodation.

Gordon Reed purchased the building in 2004, and two years later it was transformed into a more conventional shopping experience.

To celebrate the history of the building, there will be a host of events on June 2 and 3, including Victorian costume dress, a pictorial story tour and a treasure hunt competition with prize money.