Whitley Bay's St Mary's Lighthouse reopens to the public after £900,000 facelift

Whitley Bay's St Mary's Lighthouse has re-opened after undergoing a £900,000 facelift.

One of the North East coast's best known landmarks, St Mary's attracts around 70,000 visitors each year. Its restoration involved repainting the lighthouse tower and its surrounding buildings, repairs to windows, gutters, and roofs, and extensive cleaning and conservation across the site.

Scaffolding went up in July to allow for the works and was taken down in October. The lighthouse was originally earmarked to reopen in mid-September, but essential re-glazing works on the lantern pushed this back.

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Dame Norma Redfearn, North Tyneside Mayor, officially reopened the lighthouse on Tuesday morning, marking the completion of the exterior restoration. She said: "It's wonderful to be here today to celebrate the reopening of one of our most beloved landmarks.

"The lighthouse has been standing proudly since 1898, guiding sailors safely to shore for nearly a century. After it was decommissioned in 1984, it became a popular visitor centre, welcoming thousands of visitors every year.

"As a Grade II listed building, the restoration work was no small task. Every aspect of the work had to be done carefully to protect and preserve the lighthouse and the surrounding buildings, and the island’s delicate ecology.

"I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in this project for their hard work and dedication. We’re already working on proposals to further develop this iconic venue and I’m excited to see what the future holds."