City of Sunderland
Encyclopedia
The City of Sunderland icon is a local government district of Tyne and Wear
, in North East England
, with the status of a city
and metropolitan borough
. It is named after its largest settlement, Sunderland, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Hetton-le-Hole
, Houghton-le-Spring
, Washington
, and a range of suburban villages.
The district was formed in 1974 as the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
and is an amalgamation
of four former local government districts of County Durham
. It was granted city status in 1992, the 40th anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth II's
accession. The city had a population of 280,807 at the time of the 2001 census, with the majority of the population (177,739) residing in Sunderland.. The 'Sunderland Urban Area' (including Easington
and Seaham
in County Durham
) is quoted alternatively as having a population of around 200,000.
by the merger of several districts of County Durham
- Washington Urban District
, Houghton-le-Spring Urban District
and Hetton Urban District
- with the County Borough of Sunderland.
The metropolitan borough was granted city status
in 1992, the 40th anniversary of the Queen's
accession. At the Queen's Golden Jubilee the city petitioned to be allowed a Lord Mayor
, but was unsuccessful. Although the city does not have a Cathedral
, as it is located in the Diocese of Durham
, it does have Sunderland Minster
.
Between 1939 and 1945 the Wear yards launched 245 merchant ships totalling 1.5 million tons, a quarter of the merchant tonnage produced in the UK at this period. Competition from overseas caused a downturn in demand for Sunderland built ships toward the end of the twentieth century. The last shipyard in Sunderland closed in 1988.
HMS Ocean
, the Royal Navy
's biggest warship
, is Sunderland's adopted ship. In March 2004 it was granted the freedom of the City. St Benedict Biscop
was adopted as the City's Patron
Saint
in March 2004.
The City has 25 such wards. When the boundaries of these wards were set in 1982, each ward had a roughly equal population. By 2004 there had been a considerable shift in population. In particular, the east and south east – the old parish of Sunderland and the mining village of Ryhope – had lost population to the "New Town" of Washington
. As a result the boundaries were redrawn; Sunderland lost one ward and Washington gained one. The 2004 election
for all 75 councillors was held on 10 June 2004.
created two different two-tier systems for local administration, with different division of functions. As a metropolitan authority, Sunderland retained responsibility for waste collection, although disposal of the garbage was a county function, and for education. In 1986, when Tyne and Wear
Metropolitan County Council was abolished, most county functions became the responsibility of the constituent districts, whilst new joint boards assumed the co-ordinating roles in the county. Thus control over economic development, of the Museums and Archive Service, of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority and of the Passenger Transport Authority is exercised not by committees of directly elected county councillors but by nominees chosen by the elected members of the five district authorities.
Sunderland has not had a separate police force since 1967, when the Borough of Sunderland Police merged with Durham Constabulary. The City is now part of the Northumbria Police
Force area. This force was set up in 1974, and covers the whole of Tyne and Wear plus the much larger but much less densely populated county of Northumberland
.
The city is unparished, except for Hetton-le-Hole
which is a civil parish, and which has a town council
.
controlled council since 1974, and often before that. After the elections of May 2003
the political structure was 63 Labour, 9 Conservative
, and 1 independent
. The only Liberal Party councillor sat with the only Liberal Democrat as a "Liberal/Democrat" group. Three Councillors resigned from the Labour Party following disputes over the selection of candidates for the 2004 elections. Two became independent members; one joined the Liberal Democrat party, becoming group leader after the 2004 municipal elections.
The reorganisation of electoral areas saw major changes in all but two wards, but the elections of 10 June 2004, the first fought under the new boundaries, saw little change in the political representation of the City as a whole, with 61 Labour, 12 Conservative, and 2 Liberal Democrat councillors elected.
The Conservative party won all three seats in a new ward whose boundaries spanned several old wards. The Liberal Democrats stronghold ward was abolished entirely, and became part of four new wards, and the Liberal Democrat councillors elected in 2004 were from two very different areas.
Following further disputes within the Labour Party, 3 councillors resigned the whip at the end of 2006 and, joined by one of the liberal democrat members formed an independent group, which is the minority party in opposition.
At the elections of May 2007
, the Labour Party continued their decline. Labour lost three seats to the Conservatives, whilst former Labour Mayor Mrs Julianna Heron lost to an independent: the same person who had defeated her husband in 2003 and who was in turn defeated by him in 2004. The Conservative party made further significant gains in the 2008 election
, gaining five additional seats and strengthening their support in others.
The election in 2010
, held at the same time as the general election saw Labour gain 4 seats to increase their majority. In the 2011 local elections
Labour gained a further four seats from the Conservatives. After the election the composition of the council was Labour 56, Conservative 14, independent 4 and Liberal Democrat 1.
:
In the 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005 General Elections, the former Sunderland South constituency was the first to declare the results, and the tradition was continued by the new Houghton and Sunderland South seat in 2010.
The whole City of Sunderland is within the North East England
European Parliament
ary constituency.
with:
Essen, Germany
Saint-Nazaire
, France
Washington, DC, USA Harbin
, People's Republic of China
Nanjing
, People's Republic of China
In June 2006, officials from Sunderland and Washington, D.C signed a Friendship Agreement, hoping to promote the cultural and economic ties between the two cities. The cities share historical links, as the ancestors of the first President of the United States of America, George Washington
, lived in Washington Old Hall
, which is within the municipal
boundaries of Sunderland.
Sunderland City Council's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) outlines ambitious regeneration plans for a number of sites around the city.
The plans are supported by Sunderland Arc
, an urban regeneration company funded by the City council, One NorthEast
and English Partnerships
.
Future developments in the City include:
to people not from the region, as the two tongues share several similarities in pronunciation and diction.
Lewis Carroll
was a frequent visitor to the area. He wrote most of Jabberwocky
at Whitburn
as well as "The Walrus and the Carpenter
". Some parts of the area are also widely believed to be the inspiration for his Alice in Wonderland stories, such as Hylton Castle and Backhouse Park. There is a statue to Carroll in Whitburn library. Lewis Carroll was also a visitor to the Rectory of Holy Trinity Church, Southwick; then a township independent of Sunderland. Carroll's connection with Sunderland, and the area's history, is documented in Bryan Talbot
's 2007 graphic novel Alice in Sunderland
. More recently, Sunderland-born Terry Deary
, writer of the series of Horrible Histories
books, has achieved fame and success, and many others such as thriller writer Sheila Quigley
, are following his lead.
The Salford born painter, L. S. Lowry
, was a frequent visitor, staying in the Seaburn Hotel in Sunderland. Many of his paintings of seascapes and shipbuilding are based on Wearside scenes. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
on Fawcett Street and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
showcase exhibitions and installations from up-and-coming and established artists alike, with the latter holding an extensive collection of LS Lowry. The National Glass Centre on Liberty Way also exhibits a number of glass sculptures.
The Bath-based writer, Dan W.Griffin was student at Sunderland University between 1992 and 1995. His experiences are described in his book, No stranger to the P45.
of the Eurythmics
. Kenickie
, which featured Lauren Laverne
on vocals, also achieved a top ten album and wide critical acclaim in the mid-to-late-1990s. In recent years, a thriving underground music
scene in Sunderland has helped the likes of The Futureheads
and Field Music
gain national recognition.
Other famous Mackem musicians include punk rockers The Toy Dolls, who broke the top five of the charts with "Nellie the Elephant" in December 1984; the punk rock band Leatherface
; the lead singer of dance outfit Olive
, Ruth Ann Boyle, who achieved a UK chart-topper with "You're Not Alone" in May 1997, and has gone on to work with fellow chart-toppers Enigma; A Tribe of Toffs
made number 21 with their cult hit "John Kettley is a Weatherman
" in December 1988.
On May 7 and 8th 2005, Sunderland played host to BBC Radio 1
's Big Weekend
concert - the UK's largest free music festival. The event, held at Herrington Country Park
in the shadow of Penshaw Monument
, was attended by 30,000 visitors and featured Foo Fighters
, Kasabian, KT Tunstall
, Chemical Brothers and The Black Eyed Peas
.
The Empire Theatre sometimes plays host to music acts. In 2009, it hosts Jane McDonald
and The Drifters
among others.
The Sunderland Stadium of Light
is home to Sunderland AFC.
The Sunderland Empire Theatre, opened in 1907, is the largest theatre in the North East, reopened in December 2004 following a major redevelopment allowing it to stage West End
shows such as Miss Saigon
, Starlight Express
and My Fair Lady
, all of which have been performed at the Empire. The Empire is the only theatre between Leeds and Glasgow
large enough to accommodate such shows. It has also played host to an annual season from the Birmingham Royal Ballet
for over ten years.
The Royalty Theatre is the home to the (amateur) Royalty Theatre group who also put on a number of low-budget productions throughout the year. Renowned film producer David Parfitt
belonged to this company before achieving worldwide fame and is now a patron of the theatre.
The Empire also played host to the final performance of comic actor Sid James
, who died of a heart attack whilst on stage in 1976.
area taking place, with new bars, cafes and retailers opening their doors on the Eastern side of the city. The Sunniside area now includes an Empire Cinema, Gala Casino and many surrounding eateries.
The Bridges
Shopping Centre covers much of the City Centre and was opened in 1988. It is currently owned by Land Securities Group after they purchased the site in 1990. The Bridges and surrounding stores in the town centre include Boots, Burton, HMV, Debenhams
, H&M
, Starbucks
, Next, TK Maxx, Waterstones, New Look, Tesco
, Topshop
, River Island
, Aphrodite
, Monsoon
, USC
, Ernest Jones and many more. The centre receives over 26 million shopping visits every year.
, founded in 1873, and the Sunderland Star - a free newspaper
. It also has its own local radio
station Sun FM
,a community radio station Spark FM and a hospital radio station - Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
, and can receive other north-eastern independent radio stations Metro Radio
, Magic 1152
, Galaxy North East and
Century Radio
. The current regional BBC radio station is BBC Radio Newcastle
The regional DAB multiplex for the Sunderland area is operated by Bauer Digital Radio plc. The city is covered by BBC North East and Cumbria
and ITV
's Tyne Tees
franchise, which has a regional office in the University's Media Centre.
Sunderland's first film company was established in 2008; and is known as "Tanner Films Ltd" and is based in the Sunniside
area of the city. The companies first film, "King of the North" starring Angus MacFadyen
and set in the Hetton-le-Hole
area of the city; is currently under production.
Sunderland was named "The Facebook Capital of Britain" by the BBC in February 2010. The statistics showed that people in Sunderland were more likely to log on to the social networking site than anywhere else in the UK.
, which was formed in 1879. Finishing 10th in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season, Sunderland retained it's status in the country's top division in 2011-12 and plays home games at the 49,000 seat capacity Stadium of Light
.
Sunderland also has the north-east's top women's football team, Sunderland A.F.C. Women
, who have been financially separated from the men's team since summer 2005. They currently play in the top tier of English women's football - FA Women's Premier League National Division
, despite their financial struggles.
Sunderland's longest stadium occupancy so far was of Roker Park
for 99 years beginning in 1898, with relocation taking place due to the stadium's confined location and the need to build an all-seater stadium. The initial relocation plan had been for a stadium to be situated alongside the Nissan factory, but these were abandoned in favour of the Stadium of Light at Monkwearmouth
on the site of a colliery that had closed at the end of 1993.
Since the dissolution of Sunderland Nissan F.C.
the City now has only one non-league side, Sunderland Ryhope Community Association F.C. who now play in the Northern League Division One after a successful promotion campaign in the 2009/10 season.
MMA fighter Ian "The Machine" Freeman also hails from Sunderland.
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, in North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, with the status of a city
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
and metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
. It is named after its largest settlement, Sunderland, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
, Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring is part of the City of Sunderland in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the centre of the City of Sunderland about 6...
, Washington
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
, and a range of suburban villages.
The district was formed in 1974 as the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
and is an amalgamation
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
of four former local government districts of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. It was granted city status in 1992, the 40th anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth II's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
accession. The city had a population of 280,807 at the time of the 2001 census, with the majority of the population (177,739) residing in Sunderland.. The 'Sunderland Urban Area' (including Easington
Easington, County Durham
Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington Village and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery, which are separate civil parishes. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and...
and Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
) is quoted alternatively as having a population of around 200,000.
History
The metropolitan borough was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
by the merger of several districts of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
- Washington Urban District
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
, Houghton-le-Spring Urban District
Houghton-le-Spring
Houghton-le-Spring is part of the City of Sunderland in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the centre of the City of Sunderland about 6...
and Hetton Urban District
Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
- with the County Borough of Sunderland.
The metropolitan borough was granted city status
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
in 1992, the 40th anniversary of the Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
accession. At the Queen's Golden Jubilee the city petitioned to be allowed a Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
, but was unsuccessful. Although the city does not have a Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, as it is located in the Diocese of Durham
Diocese of Durham
The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham . It was created in AD 1000 to replace the Diocese of Lindisfarne...
, it does have Sunderland Minster
Sunderland Minster
Sunderland Minster Church of St. Michaels and All Angels is a church in Sunderland city centre, England. It was known as St. Michael's Church, serving the parish of Bishopwearmouth, but was renamed on 11 January 1998 in recognition of Sunderland's city status. In May 2007 the Minister ceased to...
.
Between 1939 and 1945 the Wear yards launched 245 merchant ships totalling 1.5 million tons, a quarter of the merchant tonnage produced in the UK at this period. Competition from overseas caused a downturn in demand for Sunderland built ships toward the end of the twentieth century. The last shipyard in Sunderland closed in 1988.
HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
, the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's biggest warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
, is Sunderland's adopted ship. In March 2004 it was granted the freedom of the City. St Benedict Biscop
Benedict Biscop
Benedict Biscop , also known as Biscop Baducing, was an Anglo-Saxon abbot and founder of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Priory and was considered a saint after his death.-Early career:...
was adopted as the City's Patron
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in March 2004.
Boundary review 2004
Like all metropolitan authorities, the city is divided into a number of wards or electoral districts. Each has three councillors elected for a four-year term. One third of councillors face re-election each year, and no city elections are held in the fourth year of the election cycle - this was when each ward's sole metropolitan county councillor was elected, prior to the county council's abolition in 1986.The City has 25 such wards. When the boundaries of these wards were set in 1982, each ward had a roughly equal population. By 2004 there had been a considerable shift in population. In particular, the east and south east – the old parish of Sunderland and the mining village of Ryhope – had lost population to the "New Town" of Washington
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
. As a result the boundaries were redrawn; Sunderland lost one ward and Washington gained one. The 2004 election
Sunderland Council election, 2004
The 2004 Sunderland Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003...
for all 75 councillors was held on 10 June 2004.
Functions
The Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
created two different two-tier systems for local administration, with different division of functions. As a metropolitan authority, Sunderland retained responsibility for waste collection, although disposal of the garbage was a county function, and for education. In 1986, when Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
Metropolitan County Council was abolished, most county functions became the responsibility of the constituent districts, whilst new joint boards assumed the co-ordinating roles in the county. Thus control over economic development, of the Museums and Archive Service, of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority and of the Passenger Transport Authority is exercised not by committees of directly elected county councillors but by nominees chosen by the elected members of the five district authorities.
Sunderland has not had a separate police force since 1967, when the Borough of Sunderland Police merged with Durham Constabulary. The City is now part of the Northumbria Police
Northumbria Police
Northumbria Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the areas of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in North East England. The service is the sixth largest police force in England and Wales. The current Chief Constable is Sue Sim who was appointed by Northumbria Police...
Force area. This force was set up in 1974, and covers the whole of Tyne and Wear plus the much larger but much less densely populated county of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
The city is unparished, except for Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
which is a civil parish, and which has a town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
.
Political structure
The City has had a LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
controlled council since 1974, and often before that. After the elections of May 2003
Sunderland Council election, 2004
The 2004 Sunderland Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003...
the political structure was 63 Labour, 9 Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, and 1 independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. The only Liberal Party councillor sat with the only Liberal Democrat as a "Liberal/Democrat" group. Three Councillors resigned from the Labour Party following disputes over the selection of candidates for the 2004 elections. Two became independent members; one joined the Liberal Democrat party, becoming group leader after the 2004 municipal elections.
The reorganisation of electoral areas saw major changes in all but two wards, but the elections of 10 June 2004, the first fought under the new boundaries, saw little change in the political representation of the City as a whole, with 61 Labour, 12 Conservative, and 2 Liberal Democrat councillors elected.
The Conservative party won all three seats in a new ward whose boundaries spanned several old wards. The Liberal Democrats stronghold ward was abolished entirely, and became part of four new wards, and the Liberal Democrat councillors elected in 2004 were from two very different areas.
Following further disputes within the Labour Party, 3 councillors resigned the whip at the end of 2006 and, joined by one of the liberal democrat members formed an independent group, which is the minority party in opposition.
At the elections of May 2007
Sunderland Council election, 2007
The 2007 Sunderland Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England...
, the Labour Party continued their decline. Labour lost three seats to the Conservatives, whilst former Labour Mayor Mrs Julianna Heron lost to an independent: the same person who had defeated her husband in 2003 and who was in turn defeated by him in 2004. The Conservative party made further significant gains in the 2008 election
Sunderland Council election, 2008
The 2008 Sunderland Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England...
, gaining five additional seats and strengthening their support in others.
The election in 2010
Sunderland Council election, 2010
The 2010 Sunderland Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England...
, held at the same time as the general election saw Labour gain 4 seats to increase their majority. In the 2011 local elections
Sunderland Council election, 2011
The 2011 Sunderland Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England...
Labour gained a further four seats from the Conservatives. After the election the composition of the council was Labour 56, Conservative 14, independent 4 and Liberal Democrat 1.
Parliamentary constituencies
Since major boundary changes in 2010, there are three constituencies covering the City of Sunderland, all currently regarded as safe for the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
:
- Houghton and Sunderland South
- Sunderland Central
- Washington and Sunderland West
In the 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005 General Elections, the former Sunderland South constituency was the first to declare the results, and the tradition was continued by the new Houghton and Sunderland South seat in 2010.
The whole City of Sunderland is within the North East England
North East England (European Parliament constituency)
North East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 3 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
ary constituency.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Sunderland is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Essen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Washington, DC, USA Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
In June 2006, officials from Sunderland and Washington, D.C signed a Friendship Agreement, hoping to promote the cultural and economic ties between the two cities. The cities share historical links, as the ancestors of the first President of the United States of America, George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, lived in Washington Old Hall
Washington Old Hall
Washington Old Hall is a manor house located in the Washington area of Tyne and Wear. It lies in the centre of Washington, being surrounded by other villages....
, which is within the municipal
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
boundaries of Sunderland.
Education
- Sunderland is home to the University of SunderlandUniversity of SunderlandThe University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
. Most university facilities are arranged over two campuses: the City Campus is located on Chester Road, to the immediate west of the city centre, and the 1990s Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peters lies on the north bank of the River WearRiver WearThe River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, adjacent to the historic St Peter's Church (AD674). There previously existed a Ryhope Road Campus in the Ashbrooke district, but most - though not all - university premises have been relocated to the main two campuses.
- Further EducationFurther educationFurther education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
is provided by the City of Sunderland CollegeCity of Sunderland CollegeSunderland College, is a Further Education, Higher Education College based in Sunderland, North East England. The enrolment includes around 6,300 part-time learners and approximately 4,800 full-time students...
, which has five centres across the city: Bede, Hylton, St Peters, Shiney Row, and Usworth. There are also sixth forms attached to three schools: St Robert of Newminster in WashingtonWashington, Tyne and WearWashington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
for boys and girls, St Anthony's for girls, and St Aidan's for boys, both in the AshbrookeAshbrookeAshbrooke is a residential area of Sunderland, North East England directly south and south-west of the city centre.Ashbrooke developed through the Victorian era as Sunderland's first suburb...
area of Sunderland.
- There are 17 state secondary schools, including three newly-built academy schools, and 77 state primary schools serving the children of Sunderland.
- There are also three independent schools, teaching children at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Regeneration and Future developments
Since the mid-1980s Sunderland has undergone massive regeneration, particularly around the central business district and the river corridor.Sunderland City Council's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) outlines ambitious regeneration plans for a number of sites around the city.
The plans are supported by Sunderland Arc
Sunderland Arc
Sunderland Arc was a privately-owned, non-profit, urban regeneration company based in Sunderland, North East England.It ceased operations in 2011.-History:...
, an urban regeneration company funded by the City council, One NorthEast
One NorthEast
One North East is the regional development agency for the North East England region.-History:It was established in April 1999. The North East receives a lot of government aid for regeneration....
and English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
.
Future developments in the City include:
- The Holmeside Triangle
- Vaux and Farringdon Row
- Stadium Village
- Grove and Transport Corridor
Dialect
The Mackem accent and dialect is often mistaken for GeordieGeordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
to people not from the region, as the two tongues share several similarities in pronunciation and diction.
Literature and art
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
was a frequent visitor to the area. He wrote most of Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky
"Jabberwocky" is a nonsense verse poem written by Lewis Carroll in his 1872 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
at Whitburn
Whitburn, South Tyneside
Whitburn is a village in South Tyneside, on the coast of North East England. It lies just to the north of the City of Sunderland in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear. Until 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 came into being, it was part of County Durham...
as well as "The Walrus and the Carpenter
The Walrus and the Carpenter
"The Walrus and the Carpenter" is a narrative poem by Lewis Carroll that appeared in his book Through the Looking-Glass, published in December 1871. The poem is recited in chapter four, by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to Alice. The poem is composed of 18 stanzas and contains 108 lines, in an...
". Some parts of the area are also widely believed to be the inspiration for his Alice in Wonderland stories, such as Hylton Castle and Backhouse Park. There is a statue to Carroll in Whitburn library. Lewis Carroll was also a visitor to the Rectory of Holy Trinity Church, Southwick; then a township independent of Sunderland. Carroll's connection with Sunderland, and the area's history, is documented in Bryan Talbot
Bryan Talbot
Bryan Talbot is a British comic book artist and writer, born in Wigan, Lancashire, in 1952. He is best known as the creator of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright and its sequel Heart of Empire.-Career:...
's 2007 graphic novel Alice in Sunderland
Alice in Sunderland
Alice in Sunderland: An Entertainment is a graphic novel by comics writer and artist Bryan Talbot. It explores the links between Lewis Carroll and the Sunderland area, with wider themes of history, myth and storytelling — and the truth about what happened to Sid James on stage at the Sunderland...
. More recently, Sunderland-born Terry Deary
Terry Deary
Terry Deary is a children's author now living in Burnhope, County Durham, England.A former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29...
, writer of the series of Horrible Histories
Horrible Histories
Horrible Histories is a series of illustrated history books published in the United Kingdom by Scholastic. They are designed to engage children in history by concentrating on the unusual, gory, or unpleasant. The series has proved exceptionally successful in commercial terms...
books, has achieved fame and success, and many others such as thriller writer Sheila Quigley
Sheila Quigley
Sheila Quigley is a British author of thrillers.-Career:Sheila Quigley became a national news story when Random House acquired her first novel, Run For Home, with major coverage throughout the press and television. A documentary about Sheila and the making of Run for Home was broadcast on BBC1...
, are following his lead.
The Salford born painter, L. S. Lowry
L. S. Lowry
Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist born in Barrett Street, Stretford, Lancashire. Many of his drawings and paintings depict nearby Salford and surrounding areas, including Pendlebury, where he lived and worked for over 40 years at 117 Station Road , opposite St...
, was a frequent visitor, staying in the Seaburn Hotel in Sunderland. Many of his paintings of seascapes and shipbuilding are based on Wearside scenes. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art is a contemporary art gallery which is based in Sunderland, England. The gallery focuses on producing exhibitions of new work by emerging and established international artists. The main gallery is a 35 x 17m space which is regularly configured for each...
on Fawcett Street and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is a municipal museum in Sunderland, England. It is part of the Tyne and Wear Museums group, and is sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It contains the only known British example of a gliding reptile, the oldest known vertebrate capable of...
showcase exhibitions and installations from up-and-coming and established artists alike, with the latter holding an extensive collection of LS Lowry. The National Glass Centre on Liberty Way also exhibits a number of glass sculptures.
The Bath-based writer, Dan W.Griffin was student at Sunderland University between 1992 and 1995. His experiences are described in his book, No stranger to the P45.
Music
Sunderland has produced a modest number of musicians that have gone on to reach international fame, most notably Dave StewartDavid A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
of the Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
. Kenickie
Kenickie
Kenickie were a four-piece rock band from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. The band were formed in 1994 and consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Lauren Laverne , drummer Johnny X , lead guitarist and occasional vocalist Marie du Santiago and bass guitarist Emmy-Kate Montrose...
, which featured Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
on vocals, also achieved a top ten album and wide critical acclaim in the mid-to-late-1990s. In recent years, a thriving underground music
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
scene in Sunderland has helped the likes of The Futureheads
The Futureheads
The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard , Barry Hyde and David "Jaff" Craig...
and Field Music
Field Music
Field Music are a band from Sunderland, England who formed in 2004. The band's core consists of brothers David and Peter Brewis , with Andrew Moore. Their line-ups have at times featured members of both Maxïmo Park and The Futureheads...
gain national recognition.
Other famous Mackem musicians include punk rockers The Toy Dolls, who broke the top five of the charts with "Nellie the Elephant" in December 1984; the punk rock band Leatherface
Leatherface
Leatherface is the main antagonist in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror-film series and its spin-offs. He wears masks made of human skin and engages in murder and cannibalism alongside his inbred family. He is considered by many to be one of the first major slasher film villains alongside Michael...
; the lead singer of dance outfit Olive
Olive (band)
Olive was a breakbeat/trip hop group from the North of England. The founding membership consisted of producer, instrumentalist and songwriter Tim Kellett, producer and keyboard programmer Robin Taylor-Firth, and singer Ruth-Ann Boyle...
, Ruth Ann Boyle, who achieved a UK chart-topper with "You're Not Alone" in May 1997, and has gone on to work with fellow chart-toppers Enigma; A Tribe of Toffs
A Tribe of Toffs
A Tribe of Toffs were a novelty pop band from Sunderland, England, best remembered for their 1988 Top 40 single, "John Kettley is a Weatherman"....
made number 21 with their cult hit "John Kettley is a Weatherman
John Kettley is a Weatherman
"John Kettley Is a Weatherman" is a 1988 novelty record by the band A Tribe of Toffs, from Sunderland, UK. The song peaked at 21 in the UK Singles Chart....
" in December 1988.
On May 7 and 8th 2005, Sunderland played host to BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Big Weekend
Big Weekend
BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend is a music festival run by BBC Radio 1. It is held once a year, in a different location within the United Kingdom each time...
concert - the UK's largest free music festival. The event, held at Herrington Country Park
Herrington
Herrington is an area in the south of Sunderland, formerly in County Durham in North East England.The Herringtons are split into East & Middle and West and New villages. East and Middle Herrington is now a largely residential area just off the A690...
in the shadow of Penshaw Monument
Penshaw Monument
Penshaw Monument is a folly built in 1844 on Penshaw Hill between the districts of Washington and Houghton-le-Spring, within the City of Sunderland, North East England...
, was attended by 30,000 visitors and featured Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, Kasabian, KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
, Chemical Brothers and The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
.
The Empire Theatre sometimes plays host to music acts. In 2009, it hosts Jane McDonald
Jane McDonald
Jane McDonald is a British singer, actress and media personality and broadcaster, who first became famous following her appearance on the BBC docusoap The Cruise...
and The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
among others.
The Sunderland Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
is home to Sunderland AFC.
Theatre
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
shows such as Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover...
, Starlight Express
Starlight Express
Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
and My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, all of which have been performed at the Empire. The Empire is the only theatre between Leeds and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
large enough to accommodate such shows. It has also played host to an annual season from the Birmingham Royal Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the three major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet....
for over ten years.
The Royalty Theatre is the home to the (amateur) Royalty Theatre group who also put on a number of low-budget productions throughout the year. Renowned film producer David Parfitt
David Parfitt
David Parfitt is a film producer and actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1998 for Shakespeare in Love....
belonged to this company before achieving worldwide fame and is now a patron of the theatre.
The Empire also played host to the final performance of comic actor Sid James
Sid James
Sid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona...
, who died of a heart attack whilst on stage in 1976.
Economy
Over recent years Sunderland city centre has seen a re-development of the SunnisideSunniside, Sunderland
Sunniside is a district of Sunderland, North East England, situated towards the eastern side of the city centre, bounded to the west by Fawcett Street, to the south by Borough Road, and to the north and east by Sunderland's Inner Ring road. A significant programme of urban development has...
area taking place, with new bars, cafes and retailers opening their doors on the Eastern side of the city. The Sunniside area now includes an Empire Cinema, Gala Casino and many surrounding eateries.
The Bridges
The Bridges
The Bridges is a shopping centre based in the city centre of Sunderland, England.The shopping centre in Sunderland contains over 100 stores, which include; Boots, Burton, HMV, Debenhams, Disney, H&M, Starbucks, Lush, USC, Next, TK Maxx, Schuh, Waterstones, New Look, Topshop, River Island, Monsoon,...
Shopping Centre covers much of the City Centre and was opened in 1988. It is currently owned by Land Securities Group after they purchased the site in 1990. The Bridges and surrounding stores in the town centre include Boots, Burton, HMV, Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
, Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, Next, TK Maxx, Waterstones, New Look, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Topshop
Topshop
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with shops in over 20 countries and online operations in a number of its markets. Its sales come primarily from women's clothing and fashion accessories...
, River Island
River Island
River Island is one of Britain's best known high street fashion brands and can be found in most cities across the UK. The brand also has stores in Singapore, Turkey, Poland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Middle East.-History:...
, Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
, Monsoon
Monsoon Stores Ltd
Monsoon Accessorize is a design-led retailer based in London operating two international retail clothing chains - Monsoon and Accessorize.- History :...
, USC
USC (store)
USC is a retail store that sells branded clothing across the United Kingdom. The first USC store opened in 1989 in Edinburgh and specialised in sports clothing. USC used to stand for United Sports Corporation and was founded by Angus Morrison and David Douglas...
, Ernest Jones and many more. The centre receives over 26 million shopping visits every year.
Media, internet, film and television
Sunderland has two local newspapers: the daily evening tabloid The Sunderland EchoSunderland Echo
The Sunderland Echo is an evening newspaper serving the Sunderland, South Tyneside and East Durham areas of North East England. The newspaper was founded by Samuel Storey, Edward Backhouse, Edward Temperley Gourley, Charles Palmer, Richard Ruddock, Thomas Glaholm and Thomas Scott Turnbull in 1873,...
, founded in 1873, and the Sunderland Star - a free newspaper
Free daily newspaper
Free daily newspapers are distributed free of charge, either in central places in cities and towns, or with other newspapers. The revenues of such newspapers are based on advertising.-In the U.S.:...
. It also has its own local radio
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
station Sun FM
Sun FM
Sun FM is a radio station serving the City of Sunderland and also available in Tyne and Wear, northern parts of County Durham in England. It broadcasts on the frequency 103.4 MHz and plays a mix of contemporary and classic popular music alongside local news, travel and covered ground breaking...
,a community radio station Spark FM and a hospital radio station - Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
Radio Sunderland is the hospital radio station for Sunderland Royal Hospital and the St Bendedict's Hospice in the City of Sunderland, England. On the air since 1953, the station provides music, entertainment and information for patients...
, and can receive other north-eastern independent radio stations Metro Radio
Metro Radio
Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
, Magic 1152
Magic 1152
Magic 1152 is the name of an Independent Local Radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. It forms part of the Magic network owned by Bauer Radio. It shares a studio complex with sister station Metro Radio at the 55 Degrees North complex, next to the Tyne Bridge...
, Galaxy North East and
Century Radio
Century Radio
Century Radio, also marketed as Century 100 and later Century FM, was an early short-lived national commercial radio station in Ireland .-Transmission:...
. The current regional BBC radio station is BBC Radio Newcastle
BBC Radio Newcastle
BBC Newcastle is the BBC Local Radio service English metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, broadcasting from studios on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne.- Technical :...
The regional DAB multiplex for the Sunderland area is operated by Bauer Digital Radio plc. The city is covered by BBC North East and Cumbria
BBC North East and Cumbria
BBC North East and Cumbria is the BBC English Region covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Teesside and all but the southern part of Cumbria...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Tyne Tees
Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
franchise, which has a regional office in the University's Media Centre.
Sunderland's first film company was established in 2008; and is known as "Tanner Films Ltd" and is based in the Sunniside
Sunniside, Sunderland
Sunniside is a district of Sunderland, North East England, situated towards the eastern side of the city centre, bounded to the west by Fawcett Street, to the south by Borough Road, and to the north and east by Sunderland's Inner Ring road. A significant programme of urban development has...
area of the city. The companies first film, "King of the North" starring Angus MacFadyen
Angus Macfadyen
Angus Macfadyen is a Scottish actor.Angus Macfadyen was born in Glasgow and was brought up partly in Africa, France, the Philippines and Singapore. His father was a doctor in the World Health Organisation. He was once engaged to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.Angus attended the University of...
and set in the Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
area of the city; is currently under production.
Sunderland was named "The Facebook Capital of Britain" by the BBC in February 2010. The statistics showed that people in Sunderland were more likely to log on to the social networking site than anywhere else in the UK.
Sport
The only professional sporting team in Sunderland is the football team, Sunderland A.F.C.Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, which was formed in 1879. Finishing 10th in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season, Sunderland retained it's status in the country's top division in 2011-12 and plays home games at the 49,000 seat capacity Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
.
Sunderland also has the north-east's top women's football team, Sunderland A.F.C. Women
Sunderland A.F.C. Women
Sunderland AFC Women is a women's football club based in Sunderland, North East England. They play their home games at The Hetton Centre in Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear.-History:...
, who have been financially separated from the men's team since summer 2005. They currently play in the top tier of English women's football - FA Women's Premier League National Division
FA Women's Premier League National Division
The FA Women's Premier League National Division is the second level of the English women's football league pyramid. From 1991 until the introduction of the summer competition FA Women's Super League the National Division functioned as the top league in England. Below it are simultaneously the...
, despite their financial struggles.
Sunderland's longest stadium occupancy so far was of Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
for 99 years beginning in 1898, with relocation taking place due to the stadium's confined location and the need to build an all-seater stadium. The initial relocation plan had been for a stadium to be situated alongside the Nissan factory, but these were abandoned in favour of the Stadium of Light at Monkwearmouth
Monkwearmouth
Monkwearmouth is an area of Sunderland located at the north side of the mouth of the River Wear. It was one of the three original settlements on the banks of the River Wear along with Bishopwearmouth and Sunderland, the area now known as the East End. It includes the area around St. Peter's Church...
on the site of a colliery that had closed at the end of 1993.
Since the dissolution of Sunderland Nissan F.C.
Sunderland Nissan F.C.
Sunderland Nissan F.C. was a football club based in Sunderland, England. They joined the Wearside League Division Two as founding members in 1988. Their original name was Washington Nissan. In the 2005-06 and 2008-09 seasons, they reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase. For the 2008-09 season, their...
the City now has only one non-league side, Sunderland Ryhope Community Association F.C. who now play in the Northern League Division One after a successful promotion campaign in the 2009/10 season.
MMA fighter Ian "The Machine" Freeman also hails from Sunderland.
External links
- http://www.wearsideonline.com/ Wearside Online
- http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/ Sunderland City Council Website