IT has been welcome shoppers far and wide for years – and today marks 35 years to the day the Metrocentre was opened to an excited and buzzing public.
From an abandoned patch of land in Gateshead, the Metrocentre was born as Sir John Hall got to work on what would be at the time, the biggest shopping centre in Europe.
Since opening on that brisk Autumnal day on October 14, 1986, it has gone on to see millions of shoppers and become one of the most known landmarks in the North East.
From the archives: Sir John Hall - 'Wish I Still Owned The MetroCentre'
It has grown an affection with locals as the place to be, not only as a shopping centre with hundreds of units – but as a theme park, cinema, food outlet and a day out.
We’re turning back the clock and are delving into The Echo’s archives to bring you some of the best, and largely forgotten, pictures of the Metrocentre through the years.
Read more: Popular shop reopens in the Metrocentre in brand new location after closure
We'd love to know your best memories and see any pictures you have by posting a comment below, or on our social media, or by emailing jim.scott@newsquest.co.uk
The Metrocentre was born on a patch of land after plans were unveiled in the 70s by Cameron Hall Developments, owned by Sir John Hall
Sir John Hall, pictured, in the very early days of construction of the huge shopping centre
The Metrocentre has seen major changes over the years - with parts very different to how it looked in the 80s
Stores like House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer were among the first names to debut in the centre
The scene in 2000, when much of the mall were furnished with foliage
Promoting the ride 'Bedlam' in the now gone, Metroland back in 1996, Peter Devoy was pictured as the 'Evil' gardener
The huge spaces in the Metrocentre have seen thousands of events - including this where firefighters from Gateshead and Birtley climbed and slid down poles equivalent to climbing Everes
An old, yet still existing, friend - the Metrognomes are seen here in the 90s as they spread joy at Christmas
The Metrocentre made history after holding the first chapel service in the UK to take place in a shopping centre
Next pictured in December 1997 as people were desperate to queue for the Boxing Day sales
Empty again, Harry Ramsdens - which was later a HungryHorse pub - was located across the way in what is known now as the Metrocentre Retail Park
The 'Village' linking the blue to the green mall, where a cafe once stood in the middle
The Metrognomes have gone through a raft of changes in outfit over the years, but have retained the colours of each main mall
The Metrocentre has seen a number of refurbishments over the years - here it is in the 2000s
The centre has also seen a number of store relocations, with Primark, left, and HMV, right, originally in the red mall
The Metrognomes continue to hold regular shows on a weekend, while the now closed Carphone Warehouse is visible in this picture from the late 2000s.
This area has since been redeveloped into a refurbished food court - but once featured a Hollywood style film set and even a car coming out of a wall
A familiar scene to many, Metroland's very own rollercoaster as seen in action in 2000
The Metroland was in the Yellow Mall and also had a pirate ship, waltzers, expansive play area and its own railway
Metroland attracted many VIP visits over the years, including Joe Pasquale and Leslie Grantham onboard the Pirates Galleon
A host of stores including Ann Summers have remained in the centre for decades, here's the opening of the store when managers arrived in non-uniform
In recent years, the Metrocentre has continued to attract the public and celebrities - SAFC footballers Jack Rodwell and Jordi Gomez back in the 2010s
Despite a troubled year following the collapse of former operator Intu, the shopping centre is looking forward to many years of continued success.
Speaking to The Northern Echo, bosses said customers - new and old - can look forward to a raft of new openings with the arrival of more names next year.
'2022 promises to be an exciting year of change'
Gavin Prior, Centre Director at the Metrocentre, said: “As Metrocentre turns 35 the centre is undergoing a period of transition.
We are excited to be an independent asset once more and have a number of major projects underway including sustainability initiatives, new landscaping, wayfinding and mall refreshment plans, which will be unveiled in the coming months.
“Since lockdown ended in April we have opened 30,000 sq ft of retail space in the centre and brought in a range of brands including Tag Heuer, Sky and Rituals.
"A further 45,000sq ft of space has been confirmed with brands such as H Beauty from Harrods due to open summer 2022 and JD Sports and H&M upsizing their units to become regional flagship stores.
“2022 promises to be an exciting year of change which will ensure that Metrocentre continues to be a must visit destination.”
--
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here