A former scaffolder's warehouse in North Shields could become a venue for theatre and the performing arts if a homeless charity's licensing bid is given the go-ahead.
In 2014 founder Brian Burridge decided to set up a Facebook group called North East Homeless (NEH) after coming across a homeless man on the street.
In 2016, NEH became a charity, supporting people who had experienced homelessness and/or poverty, and it established a base on Northumberland Street in the North Tyneside town.
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The hub currently boasts a "social supermarket" where people pay what they can and a café.
Now the charity has put forward proposals to use part of the venue as performance space for theatre, music and films.
An application form it submitted to North Tyneside Council asked for permission to stage plays at the venue between 4pm and 10pm seven days a week.
The document stated that it would make the space available to drama groups and would stage a pantomime at Christmas.
NEH also asked for permission to show films between 9am and 11pm, with the aim of showing festive screenings in collaboration with Whitley Bay's Jam Jar Cinema.
Finally it wants to play live and recorded music between 9am and 11pm so that it can host buskers' and open mic nights.
Charity trustee Emma Burridge said that she has started developing a programme for autumn and winter but opening the venue would be dependent on lockdown restrictions lifting.
She added: "We developed the Fish Quay base because we need a stable income as a charity.
"It has always been the plan that the hub would open up to work with the general public so they can enjoy bands.
"We're going to have open mic nights for performers that wouldn't normally get a chance to perform.
"We're planning into autumn and winter and looking into what we can do."
North Tyneside Council has yet to decide on the proposals.
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