The Tynemouth Castle Inn

AB Heritage was commissioned by the Inn Collection Group to provide heritage input into the Park Hotel in Tynemouth (later renamed as the Tynemouth Castle Inn). The building is a 1930s Art Deco purpose-built hotel and, while not statutorily Listed it is classified as a non-designated / locally listed building, due to its heritage significance. It also sits within the Cullercoats Conservation Area. For these reasons it was important for our client to engage early with the historic environment requirements.

Heritage input was provided on both phases of the development, comprising demolition of outlying 20^th century buildings (Phase 1) and repair and regeneration of the original 1930s art deco hotel and erection of a new extension and facilities (Phase 2). This followed our client’s pre-application consultation with the Local Planning Authority, to seek their guidance on the proposals.

Heritage Setting Impact

As part of the overall Heritage Impact Assessment, AB Heritage’s Elli Winterburn, reviewed a range of local heritage assets that may have been subject to setting impact from proposed works. Following archival research and a site visit, a short list of 3 heritage assets  were subject to further detailed Heritage Settings Impact Assessments (The Park Hotel; Tynemouth Park; and the Southern sub-area of the Cullercoats Conservation Area).

Ultimately AB Heritage were able to conclude that the sympathetic designs and works proposed would not only preserve this much-loved hospitality venue for future generations but breathe new life into it and the surrounding coastal area of Tynemouth in which it stands.

Built Heritage Assessment

Since opening in the late 1930s, the interior of Park Hotel has been redecorated and extended many times. Moreover, asbestos removal in the building resulted in a loss of decorative features original to the building. What remains of the historical character of the building derives from its reasonably well-preserved external envelope, the building’s main plan form and the clearly discernible circulation routes through the building.

The plans to reconfigure some of the internal areas, mainly on the ground floor were considered as part of the Heritage Impact Assessment not to be detrimental to the heritage asset. The restoration of the building’s decaying fabric, internal renovations and sympathetic new extensions were assessed as beneficial to the original building and would also provide a positive impact within the local setting of the Cullercoats Conservation Area.

Following AB Heritage’s input, a planning application was submitted by the client to the Local Planning Authority and gained planning approval in 2022. The fully refurbished Hotel was opened with great fanfare to the public in November 2023.

“We were delighted to work with AB Heritage on The Tynemouth Castle Inn.  After working with them on a number of other refurbishment programmes we have come to value the help they provide that allows us to ensure that our schedule of works and renovations are sympathetic and respectful to the heritage of our most historic sites.

The time and diligence that they devote to researching the properties and reviewing the planned developments is impressive and we always find them to be a helpful company to deal with who we enjoy and excellent relationship with.  There is no doubt as The Inn Collection Group continues to grow, so will our engagements with AB Heritage”.  Louise Stewart, Property Director, The Inn Collection Group

The Tynemouth Castle Inn opens with a bang!

Link to the Look North news report on its re-opening