The £2.25 million Townscape Heritage Project aims to reinstate original features, free up access to upper areas of the high street and a host of improvements to make it more accessible. While many of its original buildings remain, high street names and family firms are among those who have traded during the decades. We take a look through the Echo archives at how the town’s landscape has evolved as it prepares to take it’s next step forward. What you can remember from your past shopping trips?
1. The Doggarts store in Church Street
This photo was taken of the store - now the Hat and Feathers - in November 1976, with Calverts just down the street. Can you spot any other names? Photo: Sunderland Echo
2. The Oldest building in town
A photo of Sylvia's in South Crescent as it was put up for sale. It was known as The Londonderry Arms before it took the name of its landlady and is now a cafe, with a restaurant upstairs. Can you work out what year this might have been taken? Photo: KB
3. Landmark building harks back to town's founding as a colliery community
This image shows the Londonderry offices in North Terrace and its statue of the 6th Marquess of Londonderry, which was erected in 1922. The building went on to become a police station before it was redeveloped as flats. Photo: Sunderland Echo
4. Time called on court
The closed Seaham Magistrates' Court building was left to become an eyesore for a number of years in St John's Square before it was cleared to make way for an NHS centre. Photo: PB