Last week there was an arson attack on the Dunston Staiths, Gateshead. The Staiths were built at the end of the Victorian period and were used to load coal onto ships. When the coal industry eventually died out in the North East, the Staiths remained in place. As the largest wooden structure in Europe they are an iconic part of the Tyneside landscape.
Quite what motivates people wantonly to destroy a major piece of our heritage is beyond me. The Staiths have already suffered another arson attack which destroyed a section the structure a decade ago. Fortunately the damage is less this time and is potentially able to be repaired. I walked past the Staiths earlier this week. I am hoping to go back shortly to get a closer look.
