Fans given last look at 'Get Carter' car park

Film buffs will have a last chance to visit the multi-storey car park in England made famous by its role in the Michael Caine gangster movie 'Get Carter'.

Fans of the 1971 film will be able to take one last look from the top of the structure over the weekend before it is finally closed for demolition.

Trinity Square, also known as the 'Get Carter' car park, will be developed by Spenhill, a subsidiary of Tesco.

The company’s proposals for the site include shops, cafes and student accommodation.

Gateshead Council said the top floor, which enjoys panoramic views across Newcastle and Gateshead, will be open on Saturday April 26 and Sunday April 27 on a first-come first-serve basis.

Visitors will be issued with hard hats.

The car park utterly dominates the Gateshead skyline and is loved and loathed in equal measure.

Campaigners hail it as one of the last great examples of post war brutalist architecture and cite its cameo role in the film as proof of an iconic status.

Jon Wright of the architectural charity the Twentieth Century Society said the Owen Luder-designed structure narrowly missed being classed as a listed building.

He said Gateshead Council, in their efforts to redevelop the area, had not fully investigated other options for the car park before condemning it to be demolished.

“I think Gateshead is no different from other city councils who want to regenerate their city centres and get rid of post-war architecture and this building is distinctive, it’s huge,” he said.

“Selling out important bits of post-war heritage to Tesco is not the way to keep you post-war heritage intact.

“They will regret this.”

He added that public taste had not yet reached an appreciation for the car park’s stark appearance, but that soon there would be no significant examples of the genre left standing.

Nick Gellatly, Corporate Affairs Manager for Tesco said the development would help the regeneration of the area.

“It is important to celebrate the town’s history but also to celebrate new developments such as Trinity Square, which will contribute towards the ongoing efforts to revitalise Gateshead and become the town’s future.”

The council’s director of culture, David Bunce, said: “The car park has dominated Gateshead’s skyline for over 30 years and has been a constant talking point for the different opinions of those who either love, hate or are indifferent about it.

“There is still much interest in the structure’s architecture and we wanted to give people the chance to have one last look at the views across Newcastle and Gateshead from the top before it makes way for a new development.”

A date for demolition has yet to be finalised, but it is believed it will be in the next few months.