Customs House Theatre

The Customs House is an arts and entertainment venue in the Mill Dam Conservation Area of South Shields, South Tyneside. It opened in July 1864 as a custom house, built to facilitate the import and export of goods at Shields Harbour. Before 1865, both North Shields and South Shields operated as a single customs port following their separation from the Newcastle Customs House in 1848. South Shields was granted customs independence from North Shields in 1865, in part due to the construction of the new custom house building in the town. An extension was added to the building in 1878 to house the Marine Board offices. In the 1970s, the decline of the local shipping industry meant the custom house became derelict. In 1992, the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation led a restoration effort and extension of the building, transforming it into an arts centre. The Customs House is a Grade II listed building, built out of sandstone and decorated with Heworth stone dressings, arches and pediments. It has been renovated to contain two theatres, art galleries, a restaurant and bar. In 2004, The nearby warehouses on Dalton Lane were refurbished and turned into offices, a rehearsal space and community room. The organisation is managed by the charity Customs House Trust Ltd.