New Shops Available

BackOnTheMap Revitalises Villette Road Shops

A local housing project has almost completed the refurbishment of five shop fronts that will be available to rent for either a new business venture or a relocation to the popular and busy part of Sunderland, Hendon.

Backonthemap was started as a project to not only develop better houses for the residents of Hendon and raise living standards as a community landlord but that vision has now seen them grow to take on and develop the new shops available to rent today. 

Born out of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme, which delivered a £54million injection to regenerate Hendon. Back on the Map has been working for ten years, transforming Hendon, working with and for local people to change the area and lives for the better. Building on NDC’s legacy, over the last decade, Back on the Map has grown a reputation as one of the most successful and sustainable social enterprises in the North East. Standing on its own two feet thanks to its own innovation and ingenuity, Back on the Map has managed to deliver targeted intervention that is strengthening the social and economic fabric of a part of Sunderland that faces significant challenges.

It’s strategic objectives, which are supported by local people, are strong and clear. These are to build;

We work in the heart of the community to empower the people of Hendon to deliver Sustainable Homes and Community Action by creating;

Words By Backonthemap – Community Webpage – About Us

Having grown up in the area during the 1970s (At the lower end of Cairo Street), as a young boy I always remember the sense of anticipation of going with my mum to do the weekly shop. At the age of four, a half mile journey was quite a distance but I looked forward to visiting the Hardware Store which also had the latest toys to drool over making the trip worthwhile. It was an occasion for me also to see and be a part of the bustle of people going about their daily lives. The Post Office was always the first visit, not remembered too much of going in to the Post Office, other than mum needing to have money and so would collect the family allowance before being able to do the weeks shop. Mum was a cleaner, both as a mother and her job of work, a strong woman who would clean anything for fun. I’m not sure she saw it that way but four boys and then a daughter plus a workshy husband meant she never seemed to stop. That’s why the visit to the Hardware Store, cleaning products this, cleaning products that, plus scrubbing brushes and pails. It was joked she’d clean the roof – if only she could get up there! Memories of course are always rose-tinted, especially the early ones but I do remember a toy, a yellow capri car towing a caravan in that Hardware Stores window, it was never to be, either as a child or now as an adult. Those days of the shops I remember on Villette Road are quite obviously long gone as some of these picture will show.

Today the shops consist mostly of takeaways, that come alive at night. It’s not such a bad thing, life moves on, however many of the shops available during the day still bare some resemblance of the ‘old style’ Villette Road. George Franklins Butcher shop, Muller’s Bakery shop, the H&Js Co-Op and a Haberdashery, all lend to the variety of shops that can be seen around Sunderland, like those at Grangetown, Pallion, Millfield, Ryhope and other areas of Sunderland which have local businesses run on a smaller level than the ‘Superstores’. These ‘Superstores’ may offer their own variety of goods but not the personalisation of a family owned store or shop. The ones where the owner knows Mrs. Smith or old Mr. Jones, it’s good to see they’re still alive and thriving in our communities to provide that personal service. These new shops then, provided by Backonthemap, are a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. After all not everyone wants to go in to Sunderland Town Centre everyday, when ‘popping’ to the local shops will get you enough of the essentials and bring about that good feel factor of community and belonging, seeing old friends, neighbours we grew up with and also catching up on the latest gossip.

How the new row of shops are looking today (24/07/2024) to add to the vibrant and richness of our community, here in Hendon, especially when you only have to think back a few years to see the devastation Covid brought and the closure of some of the more established shops. As you can see the differences are stark. Anyone interested in taking on one of these new shops should contact the Backonthemap office, Villette Road or the community centre which is where the old Hendon Library used to be on the corner of ”Toward Road and Villette Road” or by using the Contact Form on their website.