Have received an enquiry as to who owns the deserted Middle Docks off Commercial Road / Mill Dam.... does anyone know, or can find out without too much trouble?
I presume they are still as Iast saw them a few years back.

They're worse. It was owned by some building consortium with grand plans. Will have a word with a friend on the Gazette on Monday.

The Esh Group, a Durham-based construction and development company, acquired the 11-acre South Shields riverside site from Branmore Investments in March 2008.

Thanks Kevin, will pass that on. Maybe the enquiry is from someone wanting to book a drydocking

Perhaps I can lay claim to some valuable land around there, as recently as 1861 you would have found my Great Great Great Grandfather one Alexander Hughes living at Mill Dam Cottage, Brewery Lane, South Shields .... although by 1881 he had gone across the river to East Street, North Shields. His daughter Mary married master mariner William McLeod, which is the maiden name of my mother. The McLeods seemed to migrate southwards, marrying in Sunderland and then Thornaby in following generations, and working at sea or in the shipyards.
So that's why I can sing 'thoo can have a fishy' with a Scottish accent .....

Parrot's and Hippo's on the Tyne, i couldn't handle it.