- Play Hard
- 27th Aug 2025
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Hidden gems and fun facts: 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the North East
Think you know the North East? Think again.
Sure, we’ve got iconic coastlines, class nights out, and a fierce love of Greggs – but behind the familiar landmarks and local pride lie stories that are anything but obvious.
From world-first inventions to hidden time capsules and unexpected global legacies, the region has quietly shaped history in ways you might never guess while walking down Grey Street or ordering your usual sausage roll.
Here are ten fun and fascinating things you might not know about Newcastle and the surrounding area…
1. Lucozade was born here
That iconic orange fizzy drink you reach for after a big night out or a tough workout? Yep, it all started in Newcastle. In 1927, chemist William Walker Hunter (trading as W. Owen & Son) created the drink in a pharmacy on Barras Bridge, originally as a health tonic to help people recover from illness. It was called “Glucozade” at first and was sold in glass bottles wrapped in orange cellophane – still part of the branding today. Who knew your hangover cure had Geordie roots?
2. We’ve got more Greggs than anywhere else in the UK
You might’ve guessed this one, but it’s still worth shouting about: the North East has the highest number of Greggs stores per person in the UK. Founded in Gosforth in 1939, Greggs is now a national treasure – and the region hasn’t let go of its claim to pastry fame. Newcastle city centre alone has multiple Gregg’s outlets within just a few minutes’ walk of each other. We’re not mad about it.
3. Mosley Street was the first street in the world to be lit by electric light
Move over Paris – the real City of Light might just be Newcastle. In 1879, Mosley Street became the first public street in the world to be illuminated by electric lighting, thanks to local inventor Joseph Swan (more on him later). The lighting was powered by a nearby generator, and it marked a glowing moment in both regional and global history. Literally.
Photo credit Geordie Photographs
4. The world’s first covered train station? Right here.
If you’ve ever rolled into Newcastle Central Station and admired the curved glass roof, you’re looking at a world first. When it opened in 1850, it was the first ever covered train station – a design so ahead of its time that Queen Victoria herself attended the opening. Today, it still stands as one of the most impressive stations in the country, both for its architecture and for its connections (you can be in Edinburgh, London or the Lakes in a few hours).
5. The lightbulb was invented in the North East
You’ve heard of Thomas Edison. But have you heard of Joseph Swan? Born in Sunderland and later based in Gateshead and Newcastle, Swan developed the first working incandescent lightbulb. He lit up his home in Gateshead with his invention in the 1870s, and by 1880, his bulbs were being used in Newcastle’s Savoy Theatre. So, the next time you flick a switch, spare a thought for the North East genius who lit the way.
6. The Angel of the North has a hidden time capsule
The Angel isn’t just a striking sculpture watching over the A1 – it’s also guarding a little piece of history. When Antony Gormley’s famous artwork was installed in 1998, a time capsule was buried beneath it, filled with items reflecting the local community and the turn of the millennium. No one’s digging it up anytime soon, but it’s fun to know there’s a hidden treasure buried beneath those massive wings.
7. Charles Grey (yes, the tea guy) was from here
If you enjoy a good cuppa of Earl Grey tea, you’ve got the North East to thank. Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, was born in Northumberland and served as British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834. The tea blend, flavoured with bergamot, was named in his honour after he was gifted the recipe – supposedly to mask the taste of lime in the Northumberland water. You’ll find his statue presiding over Grey Street, which was once named the best street in Britain by none other than Radio 4.
8. Newcastle has one of the oldest working cinemas in the UK
Tyneside Cinema, hidden in plain sight on Pilgrim Street, has been screening films since 1937 and is the last surviving Newsreel theatre in the UK. It originally played rolling news footage before the days of live television, and today it’s still an indie favourite for film buffs. With its art deco interiors, relaxed café-bar, and stellar programming, it’s a true Newcastle treasure.
9. There’s a 100-year-old Italian ice cream parlour in South Shields
Minchella & Co. has been serving up proper Italian-style gelato since 1942 – and the family actually began selling ices in South Shields even earlier, in the 1920s. Still run by the same family today, it’s a nostalgic little slice of seaside charm where you can grab a 99 and imagine summers gone by. Not just a sweet treat – it’s a North East tradition.
10. The North East has a secret sound mirror hidden in the hills
Long before radar, Britain used giant concrete “ears” to detect approaching enemy aircraft – and one of these early warning systems still stands in Fulwell, Sunderland. Tucked away behind houses and overgrown paths, this enormous parabolic dish (built in the 1910s) was designed to capture the sound of incoming planes across the North Sea. It never quite worked as planned, but it’s a surreal and fascinating slice of forgotten military history – and a brilliant detour for your next coastal walk.
From inventors and innovators to surprise origins and underground histories, the North East continues to quietly shape the world in ways most people don’t realise. So next time you’re sipping Lucozade, eating a sausage roll, or switching on a light, remember – it probably started right here.
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