Save the National Glass Centre campaigners stage protest outside of Sunderland City Hall

The national centre for glassmaking, which honours more than a century of tradition on Wearside, is set to close its doors in July 2026.

Less than 30 years after it opened on St Peter’s Riverside, the centre is said to be closing because owners, University of Sunderland, say it is too expensive to repair.

The Save the National Glass Centre campaign group was set up soon after the announcement in early 2023 and have been fighting for more answers on the cultural and heritage asset.

Speaking following the demonstration, Save the National Glass Centre campaigner Jo Howell said: “Considering we were gathering at 5pm when many people would just be leaving work, I think the demonstration went extremely well. We had a sign saying ‘honk your horn if you want to save the Glass Centre’ and we got a lot of people sounding their horns in support.

“In that sense we had people taking part in the campaign who didn’t intend to be part of the protest.”

The campaign group are asking for full transparency over the Glass Centre’s financial situation and the decision to close it.

A University of Sunderland spokesperson responded: "The University has been, and continues to be, completely transparent in its decision making around the National Glass Centre (NGC) since the closure was announced in January 2023.

"Since that time, no individual or organisation has come forward to offer any financial support towards refurbishing the building which, based on independent advice, would cost at a minimum £14m, and more likely nearer £45m.

“The University has supported Sunderland Culture in relation to plans around the Glassworks project, which represents a new opportunity to create an exciting model for the future of glassmaking in the city

"The NGC building will close to the public in July 2026."

The campaign group decided to hold their protest outside of City Hall as they wanted to highlight what they said is the “significant” amounts of national lottery funded public money invested in the Glass Centre as well as calling on the City Council to “use their powers to intervene” and save the building.

A Sunderland City Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work with city and national partners on the future of glassmaking in Sunderland.”

Along with shipbuilding and coal mining, glassmaking played a huge role in the city’s industrial heritage and was fuelled by the availability of cheap coal and high-quality imported sand, the two key raw materials needed for large-scale glass production.

Some of the biggest factories included Turnbull's Cornhill Flint Glassworks at Southwick, open from 1865 to 1953, which operated for decades, as well as Wear Flint Glass Works, known from 1921 as James A. Jobling and Co Ltd.

Jo said: “As a group we see the value of the skill of glass making and are worried this skill, which is part of our city’s heritage, will soon become extinct.”