A leisure boss has defended plans to rip down a Cullercoats pub to make way for housing saying half a million pounds has been spent trying to make it work.
Malhotra Leisure Ltd is behind plans to bulldoze the Sandpiper Pub and erect 18 apartments and three shops in its place.
If the proposals are given the go-ahead the apartments and three retail units, one of which will be a Co-op Convenience store, will be built on the Farringdon Road site.
