When Washington was the 1980s place to be for jobs galore

They were being created by the hundreds and three stories hit the Echo headlines in no time.

Let’s have a look.

DIY delight for the new town

Home improvement giants Dickens were set to open a major store in Washington to bring more than 200 jobs to the new town.

The Ł2.5 million plan to open a massive home improvements and garden centre at the disused RCA record factory was more than a year behind schedule, but work was due to start on fitting it out

It would lead to 150 jobs when it opened in March 1984 and the eventual payroll was expected be more than 200.

Superb news from Sava Centre

Thirty Washington youngsters were given training and the possible chance of a job in one of the area’s main stores.

SavaCentre was taking on the youngsters on the new government training scheme. They were provided with a basic skill training programme.

Going their own way after redundancy

A group of Wearside women made redundant from a Washington clothing factory set up their own co-operative sewing business.

The women worked at Almantex factory on the Hertburn industrial estate which closed with the loss of 135 jobs earlier in 1983.

Fourteen of the women from the factory and a male colleague decided to form their own company - Class One Ltd.

They planned to produce the same high quality goods as they used to make for the Washington company.

The new bosses said they did not see the co-operative as a risk, instead it was security for all of them and was taking 15 people off the dole.

Tell us if you worked in Washington in the 1980s and the businesses you worked for, as well as the workmates you remember.

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