Supermarket chain Tesco has bought the site of Sunderland's former Vaux brewery.

The chain, which is expanding in the North-East, has paid an undisclosed sum for the site, near the city centre, to Whitbread. Sunderland City Council drew up a blueprint for the 26-acre site, that included shops, housing and leisure, when the brewery closed in 1999. Council leader Colin Anderson said the council was not against Tesco being part of the site, but had never envisaged it being used entirely for retail development. He said planning officers would look very carefully at development proposals put forward by Tesco.

Fee warning: Sunderland trading standards officers are warning businesses to ignore notices sent by organisations offering to register them for the Data Protection Act at a cost of more than £100. The Information Commissioner, who enforces the act, only charges £35 for the annual statutory notification fee.

Rules welcomed: North-East Labour Euro-MP Stephen Hughes, the party's spokesman on social affairs, has welcomed proposed rules that will require British companies with more than 50 employees to consult their workforces before taking major decisions. The rules are expected to be approved in Strasbourg this week.

No bungalow: Plans to build a bungalow in the grounds of Cleadon House, Cleadon, South Tyneside, which dates to 1738 and badly needs repairs, have been rejected by planning officers after English Heritage objected, saying the grounds should be maintained as they are.

Training talk: Olivia Grant, chairman of the Learning and Skills Council County Durham, will give a talk to the North-East Chamber of Commerce about the council's plans to develop education and training in the county on Thursday, February 14 in the Riverside Suite, at Durham County Cricket Club's Chester-le-Street base.

Big demand: Theatregoers have flooded a box office to buy tickets for the musical The King and I. The show, which is going on tour, will not appear at Sunderland's Empire Theatre, until October, but a theatre spokesman said there were queues as soon as tickets went on sale and phone lines were busy.

Geordie Slowhand: North-East Eric Clapton sound and look-alike Mike Hall and his band, Classic Clapton, will be performing the music of the guitarist at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland, at 8pm on Friday, March 8. Tickets cost £10.50 and £12.50. Call the box office on 0191-514 2517.

CHILDREN'S ART: An exhibition of work by Gateshead schoolchildren on the theme of Exploring Art runs at the Shipley Art Gallery until May 12.

Sold-out: Admission to tomorrow's launch for a re-printed County Durham village history Esh Leaves, is sold out. The event, at Esh Parish Hall, features best-selling children's author, Terry Deary