STACK scraps venue plans in Whitley Bay, Durham

STACK Leisure has abandoned plans for food, drink and entertainment venues at Whitley Bay’s Empress Ballroom and the former Marks & Spencer building on Silver Street in Durham, saying it will step aside so other providers can pursue the sites. The company cited unexpected development costs, lengthy planning and legal processes, infrastructure requirements and broader pressures on the hospitality and leisure sector; both projects had faced prolonged delays. CEO Neill Winch said STACK had aimed to open three to four venues annually but now considers two a year more realistic, and did not want its stalled plans to hold back regeneration and investment.