Free cigs to first loves: Geordie memories of The Wills Building

On the history section for the website of The Wills Building, it describes itself as "the gateway to Newcastle city". In reality, the historic Wallsend building brings back many more memories than simply the city's edge for those who grew up on North Tyneside.

The Art Deco-style building was first built as a cigarette factory in the late 1940s and is found on the New Coast Road. Its first design saw the office block facing the New Coast Road and the actual factory buildings made up the wings and rear of the building. There was even a theatre and leisure facilities for the staff.

Eventually, in 1986 the time came for the factory to close and it stood empty for a number of years. The building became a target for vandalism with windows smashed and damage all too common. Some called for demolition, but that was a no go with the building having gained Grade II-listed status in the year the factory closed.

Others called for redevelopment with several ideas put forward, but ultimately little materialised for The Wills Building. The rear sections of the factory, which weren't listed buildings, were then destroyed after being deemed too nicotine-ridden to restore.

At this time, the main building was converted into residential apartments which saw its exterior restored. The block of homes opened in 1999 and is still lived in today with flats hitting the market from time to time.

Locals have so many great stories about The Wills Building, which they regularly share online. Geordie Photographs recently shared some fantastic photos of the building, which prompted an outpour of nostalgia from Facebook users in the comments.

One wrote: "We were taken there from college to see the factory. They gave us all a packet of cigarettes when we left. We were only sixteen years old."

They then went on to remember flogging them "cheap to second-year girls" in what was a transaction for "winners all around".

Meanwhile, others recalled meeting their wife there 50 years ago and family members who would work there and attend Christmas parties. One commenter said: "My father worked there from when it was built until retiring and also a lot of my family worked there. I was in the tennis club and as a little girl used to go every year to the Xmas parties."

Another said: "I always remember walking past the building on Boxing Day on the way to my Uncle Jim And Aunty Hilda's house from my Uncle Tom and Aunty Elsie's home on the Rising Sun Estate, Wallsend. It was a family tradition, and us kids were given a treat of a very small sherry, mince pies or Christmas cake! That building was a magnificent artifice on the main road! So significant."