(10 Feb 2023, 6:57 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Here's a potentially unpopular opinion, not every historic building should be saved.

Just because it was their first depot, doesn't mean it's important. How much of the depot is actually original?

What does CLS depot have that is significant? What would saving it actually do?


Given the significant amount of upkeep it would require, I highly doubt anyone would be able to raise enough money to stay open more than a year. If someone actually wanted to open a transport museum, it would be far cheaper just leasing a modern building.

You are entitled to your opinion but you are missing the point. No one said every historic building should be saved. Former original GNE depots such as Stanley, Sunderland Road, Park Lane, Winlaton and Philadelphia have all gone after all. The point is Chester le Street is the company's first ever depot and it brought the first bus services to the area - that is a pretty significant part of history if you ask me! It's no different to somewhere like Bowes Railway for example. They've kept and preserved the trains and kept the original workshops and sheds. There's nothing like that at all for buses anywhere in the area as far as I'm aware.

I think saving the depot could actually attract people to Chester le Street. If it was a museum I'm sure people would come to visit, as a lot of people love history as they love places like Beamish and Bowes Railway. Plus they could arrange some new events in the area to raise funds - such as rallies by the Riverside and have a vintage park and ride service whenever there is a concert or important cricket match. I think building something like another supermarket on the site could actually take more people away from the town centre of CLS as they would have less reason to go there if they get all there shopping done there.

Again my point was the building could be used for several purposes. Storage, preservation work, a museum. I'm not for one minute saying it should stand empty. If the local preservation clubs come together and rented the site together, then these clubs could save some money if they shared the costs. I can think of at least four preservation clubs - NEBPT, Tyneside Heritage vehicles, NNRG and County Durham Bus Preservation Group. That's four clubs operating from four sites, therefore four buildings to run. The former Northern Coal Board building where NNRG are based surely can't be cheap to run as it's huge and it's a listed building.

As I said it's just my opinion. It's very likely it will be the usual shops that are in every town these days - Card Factory, Gregg's, etc.