EXCLUSIVEOur town used to be chocka block but now it has been left to rot with drug addicts all over the high street... the council made a key silly mistake
Residents of a once-bustling town are furious at their local council after their high Street was allowed to rot and become overrun with drug addicts.
The centre of Gateshead, which stands in the shadow of the Newcastle's skyline, used to be home to a thriving hub of shops and businesses.
But locals said the buildings have gone to wrack and ruin after bills became so high that premises couldn't afford to stay open.
Shutters are permanently down on some stores while others have been abandoned, with rubble and rubbish visible through the windows.
Once-proud residents told MailOnline the state of the town is a far-cry from its glory days, when families would spend hours trawling the high street.
Picture shows an elderly man making his way past empty retail units on Gateshead High Street
There are plenty of empty and derelict buildings on Gateshead High Street (pictured)
Vivienne Moffitt, 72, standing outside the now closed shop that used to be a Woolworths she visited as a child
Vivienne Moffitt, 72, who grew up a few feet off the High Street, said the decline of the once 'brilliant' town started 20 years ago.
Speaking outside the former Woolworths, the retired carer said: 'I've lived in Gateshead all my life and the decline started around 20 years ago.
'It used to be brilliant. You could walk all the way down the street and there would be shops and cinemas.
'There was Woolworths, Boots the chemist and Littlewoods department store. You would never have to leave Gateshead to get what you needed.
'I have to travel to Newcastle now but if you live in Gateshead you should be able to shop here.'
She added: 'A lot of people are struggling so why don't the council lower the rent for the shops.
'That way, it would be better to make a little bit of money as opposed to the shops having to close and the council getting nothing.
'There used to be a fruit shop here and that's closed now because Gateshead Council still want their rent but the shop wasn't making anything.
'I think it is only going to get worse. There's not much encouragement to suggest otherwise.
'When I was a kid it used to be such a busy high street and this is where we shopped.'
In 2011, a brand-new development called Trinity Square was built at the foot of the street which included a giant Tesco, cinema and bar and restaurant area.
But locals say the £150million regeneration scheme hasn't fixed Gateshead's problems and has even pulled shoppers further away from the remaining independent shops.
Rubbish and rubble is visible in some units from the High Street
Local residents in Gateshead said the town has been in decline because the council has not reduced rates to attract new tenants
Graffiti and damaged shop fronts are a common sight on Gateshead High Street (pictured)
The centre of Gateshead used to be a bustling hub of businesses but it is now blighted with dereliction
Locals have lamented the decline of the town centre which they say began 20 years ago
A Tesco outlet now stands where the popular indoor market used to trade, which locals look back on with fond memories.
Vivienne thinks the Trinity Square investment has improved the area, but she wants to see more attention given to the rest of the town.
She added: 'The state affects the mood of the place. Even recently we had Wilko's but of course they all shut down.
'The square is all fine and looks lovely, but what about the rest of the street?
'A charity shop has even opened on the square now, so it's looking like it's starting to head the same way.'
Less than half a mile from the deserted High Street stands the The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, otherwise known as The Sage, where a host of prestigious names have played in the past.
Plans to redevelop the High Street, penned in 2019 by the council and including new housing and extra greenspaces, haven't yet gone ahead.
Gateshead resident David Wilkinson was enjoying an afternoon drink at one of the local pubs.
But the 69-year-old said it was deserted inside and that the bars rely purely on weekend trade to carry them through.
The retired cleaner, who was born and bred in Gateshead, said: 'It used to be chocka bloc here.
'Back in the day this had everything but it has really been hit since Covid.
'Every shop was busy, but now there are more standing empty than there is open.
'I think the Metro Centre and online shopping have buggered the high street.
'When I was young my mother used to take me to Topman for my school uniforms but there's not many places to go now and I only ever shop at Heron's.
'It makes me feel rubbish and I don't want to be around here anymore.
'There used to be loads of pubs but now there are only a handful.'
Anth Matthews and Kris Steele run the popular tattoo shop The Devil's Favourites which is one of the only surviving independent business left on the street.
Tattoo shop owners Anth Matthews (right) and Chris Steele (left) standing outside their business
The Devil's Favourites tattoo parlour is one of the few businesses still open on the High Street
Other locals said crime has contributed to the decline of the once 'brilliant' High Street
However, the pair say they rely on punters who travel to the area specifically for tattoos while the other shops struggle.
Anth, 34, said: 'I was born here and I remember when it used to be full of people. There was loads of pubs, clubs and shops and now there's not.
'My nan and my mother used to take me to the Gateshead indoor market and it was brilliant.
'You had everything in one little bit and you had games shops, pet shops - there was everything.
'Everyone would meet there and it was great. Now you go there and all you've got is druggies pretending to be homeless.
'This street used to be so busy with people going up and down it but now look at it. It's absolutely sad when you look at the decline.
'The way I see it is why didn't the council just keep shops on low rates - it seemed like a silly tactic not to.
'They could have fixed the look of the buildings from the outside and put people back in the shops on cheaper rates.'
Kris, 35, who has run the shop with Anth for 18 months, said: 'Before we got this place, I looked at the council's projections which was supposed to include new shops and parks but I can't see it happening.
'It's sad to see the other shops shut, it's definitely been the death of the small business around here.
'A lot of businesses left because of the threat of closure and they never returned.
'When the Tesco was built, everyone started going there. They weren't going to start coming to the local butcher or the grocer.'
One local used to work as a landlady on the high street but quit due to the rising crime rates.
Wishing to remain anonymous, she said: 'I'm a Gateshead girl and this place used to be amazing.
'It was a lovely shopping area with lots of thriving bars but the council have left it to go to nothing.
'Crime is a big thing which has contributed to the decline and I think there's been three cannabis farms on the street in the empty buildings.
'There's street drinkers and there's no police presence. There's just nothing here anymore in general.
'I left being a landlady because of the trouble, the street drinkers and the drugs.
'People are even frightened to go to cash machines because it's so bad.'
Steve Watson owns a second-hand furniture store and the 60-year-old, originally form Stanley in County Durham, said: 'I'm just ticking over and thankfully people are buying second hand at the moment because everything is so expensive.
Second hand furniture shop owner Steve Watson, 60, said his business is 'ticking along' because people are looking for cheaper options
Many of the retail units have had their shutters closed for a long time
Lifelong Gateshead High Street resident Maria Thompson, 45, (pictured) said there aren't many pubs left
'But lots of places have shut down. There used to be a big market here but it was a shame when it closed down.
'A lot of high streets around here are the same. It's like this in Chester-le Street and Stanley.'
Maria Thompson, 45, said: 'I still drink on this street but there's not many places open now.
'There used to be absolutely loads of shops but there's nowhere for people to go now.
'I loved it here. I remember when my mother was alive she would take me shopping but these places don't have the money to survive.
'This is my heritage and I'm proud of it but it's sad what it has become.'
Jack Miles, 27, also grew up in the area and said: 'It's a dump.
'Even in 50 years time this place will never change. It's gone downhill because of the people around it and there's lots of drugs.
'I don't shop here and I normally go to different places instead because of it. I can remember when it did used to be busier than this and there were more shops.
'The old indoor market used to be much better. It's sad to see.'
In response to the claims about crime destroying Gateshead High Street, Northumbria Police said they are 'dedicated to tackling all forms of crime'.
'That’s why we run dedicated operations throughout the year, along with our partners, to tackle pockets of disorder and try to prevent further incidents from happening in the future,' a sokesperson said.
'We carry out a range of targeted activity such as uniform and plain-clothed patrols with a focus on high footfall areas around businesses and transport hubs.
'Our officers also regularly work closely with the local authority to secure preventative orders against any prolific offenders causing harm in the area.
'We continue to work hard to dismantle the criminal groups who try to profit from the sale and supply of illegal drugs, as well as ensuring those affected by drug addiction are offered support.'
MailOnline has contacted Gateshead Council for comment.
