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From a personal point of view, I think that a lot of things that the money has been spent on was a gross waste of money and I think that the council should be held accountable for it. For instance, I as well as most of my friends think that the six lane sphagetti junction situated just outside of the old library is a god awful mess and that the town planners responsible for this ill conceived throughfare should be slung on the dole because they are not fit for putting together scaletrix let alone planning roads. Personally I think a huge week long rave on Grayfields with loads of free beer would probably have been appreciated more than some of the things that the council spent the money on but hey, I'm only young.
A
lot of time, money and effort has been invested in improving the appearance
of the Church Street area. A turn of the century maritime image has been
imposed on many of the building that are currently been renovated in the
area. The locals have played their part in the rennaisance by adding the
traditional industrial waste land look so favoured by many of the local
council estates. Its almost incredible to believe that the Saturday night
raver takes time out on his big night out to smear grease from his kebab
papers all over the pavements, to smash his empties on the ground and then,
after all this, still finds time to empty the contents of his stomach over
the nearest parked car and the contents of his bladder up the side of the
Yorkshire Bank. In an attempt to curb such activities, Hartlepool Borough
Council has introduced a bye-law preventing the consumption of alcohol
in the street. Either way, come 11 o'clock on a Saturday night, Church
St looks like down town Belfast.
The Historical Quay and the Hartlepool Museum alongside of it are another fine example of this turn of the century archtectural style. This in fact is very pleasing on the eye so in keeping with this image, Hartlepool Borough Council then decided to build an industrial estate right around it. Just to complete the effect they then decide to run the Hartlepool Super Highway right through the middle of it all. The Hartlepool Super Highway has got to be the biggest mistake that the council has made during the rennaisance. Come five o'clock every evening, complete gridlock.
I
had a trip down the to the Historical Quay last bank holiday to
check it out. The place was heaving with kids and old timer totty. For
what it is, it could be a lot better. It is dominated largely by static
displays which attempt to outline the life a sea-faring type of bloke might
have endured during the Napoleonic times. The centre piece of the quay
is the HMS Trimcolee, a now fully restored frigate from the 1840's
which is actually very impressive to look at. Unfortunately entry onto
the ship is an extra two and half quid which after the five quid to get
in is a bit steep especially since the rest of the quay is a bit thin on
the ground with respect to quality entertainment. The Hartlepool Museum
next door is much more informative and a lot more imagination has gone
into the displays than those in the quay. For the Hartlepool afficiando
there is loads of shite to look at.
Next to the Historical Quay is the Wingfield Castle (pictured above) . This old paddle steamer, like HMS Trimcolee has been in the town now a number of years and has been restored to its former glory. It is free to get on and is well worth a look about as it is quite impressive. There is a cafe on-board if you fancy a cuppa with a maritime feel to it.
To sum it up, the quay is worth a walk round but it is overpriced. If you fancy a bit of history, save your coppers and go next door into the Hartlepool Musuem and a mooch about the Wingfield Castle.
Another museum in the town
is the Gray Art Gallery and Musuem which is located on the old Clarence 
Road
next to the old dog track. I used to live just round the corner from here
when I was a kid and I was amazed with this place when I discovered it
cos there is nothing else like it Hartlepool (or at least not at the time).
The Hartlepool Museum has since stolen the limelight somewhat
but its worth checking out just to see the inside of the house. Out the
back of the museum in the garden is a number of Hartlepool landmarks which
rather than being demolished, have been disassembled and then rebuilt here.
There is the old nuclear shelter (I think), the gate from the old Brinkburn
School in Eldon Grove, the old tram building down on Clarence Road and
a number of small shops that were originally located on the Headland.
In the front garden is landmarks from Hartlepools more modern history.
There is the dodgy Head (located to the left of the picture on the
right), that was originally located in the Burn Valley a few years ago
but there was such a public outcry about it that they pulled it out and
stuck it here. No doubt the bouy at the end of Raby Road will end
up here at some point. Definitely worth a look if you fancy a walk down
memory lane.
A
360 degree panorama of the finest town in the NE of England is the reward
for the slog to the top. Time your ascent carefully. I climbed it at the
start of January and a biting NE wind froze me nuts off. Tight northern
bastards should note that you can see most of the pools ground from up
there so its a cheap saturday afternoon entertainment. The fact that you
can't see half the pitch is not a problem since the ball never leaves the
'pools end anyhow. Whilst on the matter of Christ Church, I was always
curious to get inside that building ever since I was a kid (I did try once
but the bobbies stopped me). The rennaisance has seen the conversion
of the church into an art gallery and rather tidy it is to. Culture finally
has landed in the big H. in a big way. Not only is the place smart art
gallery, its a top tart gallery as well. If you like chicks with brains
this is the place to hang out. However charming the chicks in a art gallery
requires a change of tack from the usual slick patter dealt out by the
average Monkey
Hanger. Lines like "Why tha fuck da ya reeken tha he painted a fat
piece instead of a skinny piece" and "If yer wanna look at blokes
tackle, th'an 'ave a look me fishing gear" probably won't go down too
well. I did say probably though. After a wandering around the art gallery
and climbing the tower you might be feeling a bit thirsty for a pint. Masters
wine bar can be found right next to the Church but its shite so have a
walk around to the Jacksons Arms just round the corner instead.
The old Wesley Chapel has finally been restored to its former glory. After standing derelict for years, this very impressive imposing building situated in the very heart of the town has finally had its decline arrested. How it was ever allowed to get into the state it was in is beyond me. Thankfully despite its state, it was never demolished. The renovation of the building has taken a couple of years (or so it seems) and from the outside at least, looks magnificent once again. The facade has been sand blasted and looks as good as new and all the windows have been replaced with stain glass. Talking to Watson at the weekend he has confirmed that it is going to be a nightclub and a gym of sorts. Apparently there is a preview opening this Tuesday. Its going to be one kick arse nightclub though, finally wrestling the crown from 42 Street as the slapper capital of the Big H. .
It
was the focus of a study a few years back which got a lot of the locals
knarked as it portrayed them as a load of hard drinking, dole scrounging
layabouts. The text was interspersed with photographs of beer glasses and
people laying face down on tables. Whether this is the reality or not I
do not know since everytime the lads have been up the headland for a drinking
session, they got so wazzed they could'nt stand. Parsons was so pissed
up the last time they were up there he threw up on a corporation bus on
the way back and then proceeded to fall off it once he got to his stop.
All of this was before 5pm as well. Personally I really like the place.
Loads of character and loads of pubs. Just don't look at anyone when you
are in a pub or spill anyones pint otherwise you might find yourself picking
glass out the back of your head.
Other than that there is St Hildas Church which is even older than my gran. On a pleasant day a walk along the promonade past the Heugh Battery , the Lighthouse, the Heugh Breakwater and the town wall is quite rewarding. The Heugh Battery is an interesting spot since it was were we tried to give the Jerries a jolly good pasting for trying to bombard our fine town back in 1916. Unfortunately like the football, the Krauts won once again. There are fine views to be had across to the industrial nightmare of Teeside and the Cleveland Hills beyond. Closer still is the view across to the beautiful pristine Middleton Beach with its vast expanse of sea coal, bin liners, broken bottles, used condoms and the odd grain of sand. Why the Hartlepool rennaisance missed this eyesore is beyond me. The walk rather conveniently ends at the Headland pub (I think thats its name) so you can reward your efforts with a justly deserved pint.
The
heart of the Hartlepool Renaissance. I can vaguely remember an article
in the Hartlepool Mail stating that the marina
would
be so exclusive that there would be southerners sailing there yachts up
to moor here from London and spending weekends in Hartlepool enjoying the
bracing sea air away from the hussle and bussle of the big city. Shite.
More chance of Sladey buying a round. There is nothing much to the marina
unless you like looking at moored up dingys and loads of middle class Jeremys
and Tamaras playing around with ropes. All of the character in this part
of the town has long gone now. The Old Coal Dock, the Old Skeleton Pier
and Jacksons dock for me at least conjured up images of an age gone by.
Now all that stands is the Old Customs House, the rest has been levelled
and developed upon. Still if you do find yourself down there and want something
to do, bypass the contrived martime theme pub which is Jacksons
Landing and head over to the Hartlepool Small Crafts (pictured
below) promenade has been 
which
is old, grotty and full of character. If bingo is your thing, the marina
is the home of the Mecca, the countries largest bingo hall sympathetically
located alongside The Hartlepool Museum and the Historical Quay. Personally
I'd rather stick my head down the Gemini toilets
than spend a night playing bingo. For those that enjoy a stroll along the
promenade and the bracing smell of rotten fish, a built along the stretch
of coast between the old skeleton pier at Middleton and the road bridge
crossing the railway going out to Seaton Carew. With the existing promenade
running parallel to the road running along Seaton front, its now possible
to walk the full distance between Middleton and Seaton (and you would have
to cos there is fuck all in the middle of the two).
The marina is very close to Church St. so there is not much point hanging around there once the pubs have opened as its a waste of valuable drinking time.
Gan'
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