Second hand not second best - savvy shoppers in North Tyneside snap up 30,000 bargains

Renew North Tyneside is celebrating a major milestone after selling its 30,000th item in just three months, helping residents save money while preventing more than 70 tonnes of reusable goods a second life items from going to waste. 

Located at Newcastle Quays (formerly Royal Quays), the shop which opened in March has quickly become popular with local residents. Top items include homeware, toys, books, and garden furniture. 

Items sold at the shop are donated by residents visiting the local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) where goods still in good condition are checked, cleaned, and where needed, repaired before being made available for resale at low cost. 

The project has also created opportunities for local people to get involved. 16 regular volunteers now support the venue, helping to prepare, test and repair items for resale, with six volunteers already completing accredited PAT testing training. 

Cath Allister, volunteer at Renew, said: “As a recently retired person, I felt that I still had a lot of energy to give and time to volunteer. I’ve been involved with Renew for 2 months now and in that time I’ve seen customer numbers and donations increasing consistently. The shop seems to be busy all the time and it has a really friendly atmosphere, so whilst the milestone of 30,000 sales is excellent, I suspect it’s already well on the way to the next milestone!”

Renew North Tyneside was delivered through a partnership between North Tyneside Council and their partners at SUEZ who operate the HWRC and transfer station, and local charity North Tyneside Big Local.  

Steve Atkinson, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: “Re-use is a hugely important part of what we do at SUEZ, helping to prevent valuable items from going to waste while delivering real benefits for local communities. Reaching the milestone of 30,000 sales in such a short period of time shows how strongly local people have embraced the concept. By providing quality pre-loved goods at affordable prices, we are helping residents access items they need, while also supporting volunteers to develop practical skills and experience. Every item sold is given a second life, reducing waste and creating positive social and environmental outcomes for the community.”

Councillor Willie Samuel, Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability, said: “It’s fantastic to see how quickly residents have embraced Renew North Tyneside. Reaching 30,000 sales in just a few months shows there is a real appetite for giving good-quality items a second life rather than throwing them away.

“Re-use is better for the environment, helps people pick up useful items at affordable prices and, through the volunteers involved, is also creating opportunities for people to learn new skills and gain valuable experience.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has donated, volunteered or shopped at Renew North Tyneside so far. Every item reused is one less going to waste, and I hope even more residents will come along and see what they can find.”

David Carnaffan, Chief Executive of North Tyneside Big Local, said: “This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the many hours of hard work contributed by workers, partners and volunteers alike. I especially want to acknowledge the time of unpaid volunteers, which exceeded 1,000 hours in the first three months. Our volunteers are motivated to learn new skills, meet other people or give back to support their community. Their dedication and commitment ensures that Renew can reduce waste, provide access to affordable goods and generate income to support local charities.” 

Renew North Tyneside is open daily, from 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Sunday. You can find us at Unit 30, Newcastle Quays, NE29 6DW. 

Residents are also encouraged to donate good-quality unwanted items either directly at the shop or via the HWRC, helping give more products a second life and supporting the local community.