Newbiggin Maritime Centre, Northumberland

Punch and Judy on the beach at Newbiggin, Northumberland

Punch and Judy Show

A brand new maritime centre was opened to the public at the weekend.The new purpose built facility cellebrates the history of Newbiggin as a traditional seaside resort. The quaint little seaside town is close to Ashington and is also easily reached from Newcastle and surrounding areas. It has long since been a popular place to visit for fresh air and fun. The centre houses interesting displays and exhibits relating to local culture and history.

Lifeboat “The Mary Joicey”

One of the main exhibits is the fully restored lifeboat the RNLB Mary Joicey, a fine example of this type of lifeboat which was designed to be able to go out to sea in all weathers and perform rescues well away from shore. Today these vessels are obsolete as nearly all modern lifeboats are of the inflatable type because most rescue work is carried out in inshore waters. The inflatables are also much faster and more manouverable. They are also able to get into shallow water and to get close to cliff faces when people get trapped by incoming tides.

The Mary Joicey is a proud reminder of the courage and fortitude of the brave lifeboat crews past and present who put

The Mary Joicey

their own lives at risk saving others.

Seafront Cafe

As well as the exhibition area the new centre also has an excellent cafe with a very good menu including delicious snacks

and some very nice seafood specialities too. The cafe has a large glass front offering good views across the bay. It’s an ideal place to relax and enjoy the comings and goings of the fishing boats to watch people out to enjoy the pleasures of the seaside.

Seaside Fun

The opening of the centre was marked by a ” Seaside Day ” with entertainment of all kinds on the beach and along the promenade. There was Face Painting, , costume characters, Punch and Judy, a steel band, sand castle building competitions, stilt walkers, victorian people ( actors ), chuggy boats ( swing boats ), fairground rides, pony rides, ice cream and refreshments too. The sunshine brought the crowds out and by the afternoon the prom was packed and everyone, young and old was having a great time.