I decided to take a very different approach to my visit this week, leaving the sea air at North Shields Fish Quay behind for something more inland.
This led me to the Wallsend area, and more specifically East Howdon, which has a very interesting feel to it, especially considering where it is.
East Howdon is quite isolated and cut off from the rest of Howdon and Wallsend as a result of the A19 bypass, which physically separates the areas.
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This means that the three-street suburb needs to have shops, pubs and restaurants within walking distance that can serve all who live there.
And indeed, the area has a corner shop, one restaurant and a single pub which residents can easily get to without travelling outside the area.
I decided to visit East Howdon and see for myself what an area that is cut off from other businesses and amenities to this extent is like.
As I arrived in East Howdon, I was immediately struck by the fact that there was nobody to be seen at all. Everybody was either in their homes or at work when I arrived, so it was difficult to get an accurate impression of what the area is like.
However, it does seem that the area is not particularly lively at the best of times, with the lack of any real nightlife bar one pub, and little in the way of activities available, except a boxing gym.
I first visited the Premier convenience store on the corner of Stanley Street, to see what kind of options it offers to residents, with it being the only food shop in East Howdon.
The store had a wide range of products but wasn't the largest, making me think that it would be difficult to get a full shop there, for someone with mobility issues or who can't travel very far.
East Howdon could definitely do with a larger food shop that can cater to the needs of residents who can't drive.
I moved on to have a look at The Ferryman pub, which offers the people of East Howdon a place to go to have a drink and relax, as well as keeping them active, as the building doubles as a boxing gym.
This is a unique concept that is able to take advantage of the lack of space in the suburb, as the multi-use aspect of the business gives people another option, something which the area on the whole is crying out for.
My final stop on my tour of East Howdon was the Sambuca restaurant. One of almost two dozen establishments incorporated in the popular North East chain.
According to their website, Sambuca offers 'budget-friendly hearty Italian food' and is one of the most famous and fastest growing restaurant chains in the region.
This kind of an option to get a meal out at a reasonable price is perfect for the people of East Howdon.
Overall, East Howdon is a small area which just about has one of each type of essential business, however it is easy to imagine that if the convenience store were to close or relocate for example, a lot of people would struggle and have to further afield for their shopping.
As I was leaving the area, I was left with a sense that it could be brought to life if just a few more businesses were to move into it. It would bring a breath of fresh air to the suburb and make it a far more attractive place to live and visit.
