The reason why Geordies flocked to Sunderland instead of Newcastle in the 1990s

The heady days are being spotlighted in the latest episode of the Sunderland Echo’s video series.

Sunderland was a better night out

It is called Sunderland’s 90s Nightlife and in episode 13 (titled Even Geordies Loved It …) we look at the days when people would come from Newcastle for a night out because the Wearside scene was better.

Bob Senior, who had worked in Julies in Newcastle and Annabels in Sunderland, believes that in the late 80s and early 90s, Sunderland was a better night out.

He said: “Newcastle is obviously streets ahead and different now.

Fantastic nights at Windmills and the Blue Bell

“But at that time for whatever reason, late nights and Bank Holidays, Sunderland would get a 4 o clock licence and Newcastle wouldn’t.”

Bryn Hanson remembered the scene and said Windmills and the Blue Bell in Fulwell would be ‘chock a block’ on weekends’.

There’s loads more to enjoy by watching the full episode.

Catch the first 12 episodes

Episode 1: Called Old Skool. Our interviewees discuss their memories of music back in the 1990s including Nirvana, rave, dance and trance.

Episode 2: The very people who ran Idols and Annabels shared their memories - and there were lots of them!

Episode 3: We asked people for the first thing that came to mind when they thought of the 90s night scene in the city.

Episode 4: A look back at Chambers, particularly through the eyes of John Shaw who was a DJ there in the 1990s.

Episode 5: Called The Safety of the Pack. We looked at the places where people met before going to their favourite nightclub.

The days before camera phones

Episode 6: What Wearsiders used to get up to before they went to nightclubs in the 1990s.

Episode 7: A look at the Blue Monkey. The Sunderland nightclub which gave Wearside a completely new offering in the 1990s.

Episode 8: Looking Out for Each Other. Our interviewees discuss how people used to get involved more when there was trouble in a pub or nightclub 30 years ago.

Episode 9: 'I was one of the UK’s 50 most eligible bachelors': An interview with retired Sunderland fireman Bryn Hanson.

Episode 10: This episode was called 1990s BC (Before Cameraphones) and it looked at an era when people were less self conscious because they were the days before social media.

Episode 11: Called ‘Licensed to Thrill’ focuses on the days when pubs were open until a certain time, and when they closed, you moved on to a nightclub.

Episode 12: A look back at the light-hearted side of the Wearside scene 30 years ago. Called Owt For A Laugh, it looked at the fancy dress competitions in nightclubs and the times when people had to bring a tin of beans or mushy peas as their entry fee.

Next week: Our penultimate episode looks at how nightclubs kept their customers safe - in a video called Foxes and Chickens.