A city on the up

Sunderland's city centre is moving forward fast, developing rapidly as the pace of regeneration hots up.

The retail heart of the city is focused around The Bridges Shopping Centre, where over 100 top name high street stores jostle for position along the bright and airy walkways.

New investment is bringing life back into the fine Victorian streets of the city centre, where independent shops and boutiques offer everything from designer labels to trendy interiors. Eye-catching pieces of jewellery, glassware and ceramics are also a Sunderland speciality, with craft and gift shops at the museums and galleries featuring the works of up and coming designer-makers.

Nightlife is also on the up, with bars and restaurants to cater for all tastes in the city centre and an underground music scene voted one of the best in the UK by NME.