Brian Aitken

Seems appropriate to say this today - somewhere on the Sgt Pepper cover is a Newcastle United striker who signed for Liverpool.
Eyes & Ears is not just an essential service for regional news, you know! eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

Hadn't seen that before. I don't have any alternative to Substack as it's free to use. I plan to move to a platform called Ghost (just as the Manchester Mill and sister titles have done) but only when I am looking to monetise Eyes & Ears - Ghost charges flat fee while Substack takes 10% cut.

I'm not seeing that. I follow several Substacks and none are right wing. The attraction of Substack to me is it is easy to use and free - so long as I don't charge for subscriptions

Curious as to why you ask that?

Reform in power in Durham: How's it going so far? OPINION & ANALYSIS: Events in Durham since the May elections constitute an important case study in the new party’s readiness for government. Professor Bob Hudson takes a look

Early deep dive by me on the early days of Reform in power in Durham - how’s it going so far? Via the excellent Eyes and Ears North East on Substack. open.substack.com/pub/eyesande...

Politicised headlines, the cost of NOT dualling the A1, 25 years of Life, our changing high streets, Run Geordie Run's mean feet, Greggs sausage rolls become a cultural icon - and RIP Sir Ian Gibson.
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

How do you write a wonderful and engaging story about your collection of walking sticks? Michael Chaplin shows us how...
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

Who remembers Tudor crisps? Would you have climbed a mountain for them? Great bit of nostalgia in this week's Eyes & Ears: eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

Start with some volcanic just, add a Durham graduate and some 'field work' from Newcastle University, and you have a cheap way to increase crop yields by 20%, suck carbon out of the atmosphere - and has just won a $5m award. eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/publish/post...

Now this is worth five minutes of anyone's time... a cracking read from former BBC editor @jacquih.bsky.social
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

"If anyone in the North East hasn't yet subscribed to Brian Aitken's brilliant weekly news round-up, get on it! With proper journalist pithiness, it summarises everything you need to know as well as everything you didn't know you needed to know." eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

Dementia is something that many of us encounter. This is a moving account of how it can impact a family, done with the delicate light-touch of an outstanding writer with first-hand experience.
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

Quick-fire regional news round-up plus Gazza, SEND crisis, a Tonali cartoon and, who remembers the Cinzano ads with Joan Collins and Leonard Rossiter?
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

Just one of the images selected by North East photographer Paul Alexander Knox for his feature 'My Life Through a Lens'., which is one of our gems from The QT Archives. The others are worth a look... eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

My five minute round-up of regional news and a few other bits and bobs: eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

"From Roker Park, the sensation that shook the world of football rigid," said the narrator in a terribly, terribly English accent.
It's not just 'new' news that you get with Eyes & Ears you know... eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

From The QT: Celebrating the life of Tish Murtha In March 2024, David Whetstone talked to film-maker Paul Sng about why he was drawn to a feted photographer who died too young

Tish Murtha's work is featured across the artwork and merchandise for the latest Sam Fender album. This is well worth a read...
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

From The QT: When The Tube helped Tina turn things around In February 2024, Sam Wonfor opened her back catalogue of memories to bring us The Tube's double date with Tina Turner

Even if you don't remember The Tube, you'll love this. Contains a link to Tina Turner's comeback, recorded live with Heaven 17 in the early 80s.
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

Eyes & Ears 21.02.25 If you think you don't have the time to read this, then you really need to read this

If you think you don't have time to read this, then you really need to read this...
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

Why did Queen Victoria insist on having the curtains closed when the royal train travelled through Newcastle? Michael Chaplin will tell you in this wonderful long read from The QT Vaults.
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/from-the-q...

From The QT: Eruption which changed the world In June 2024, Chris Jackson told the remarkable and tragic story of Edwin Bainbridge, the heir to one of Newcastle’s most famous stores, that he discovered on a trip to New Zealand

This is quite the story to discover, as writer Chris Jackson did, when he was on holiday...
From The QT: Eruption which changed the world open.substack.com/pub/eyesande...

Eyes & Ears 31.01.25 It's what you've been missing

My curated round-up of the past seven days. Includes child poverty, Brexit, regeneration, university cuts and public interest journalism and... eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

It’s official! Sunderland is a Music City - Sunderland joins the European music cities network!

Everything you need to know, in one place, once a week. This week's Eyes & Ears includes academies, Dylan covers, university numbers, boost for business, cyber attacks, hospital beds and rats under the bonnet.
It's free and it saves you time: eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/eyes-and-e...

My curated round-up of North East news - all in one place, once a week. You can subscribe for free at eyesandearsnortheast@substack.com

Same!

Here we go again: Will social care be fixed at last? QT columnist Bob Hudson, Visiting Professor in Public Policy at Sunderland University, takes a look at the question of social care reform and gives you a starter for 10

eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com/p/here-we-go...

Eyes & Ears North East | Brian Aitken | Substack Eyes & Ears is a curated round-up of what's been happening in the North East in the past seven days and was a popular part of The QT, an online news magazine for the North East of England. Click to re...

Eyes & Ears North East
eyesandearsnortheast.substack.com?r=fkgbj&utm_...

It's not good at all Bob.
eyesandearsnortheast@substack.com

Congratulations to Peter Straughan, winner of Best Screenplay at the Golden Globe Awards in LA for Conclave.

Gateshead-born and formerly Writer-in-Residence at Live Theatre Newcastle, he also was the screenwriter for Wolf Hall and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

What a talent!