Northern Goldsmiths, Blackett Street, Newcastle

I went to Asda this morning for my big Christmas shop. It was manic - but will obviously be worse tomorrow and Saturday. This afternoon I went to Newcastle - which wasn't as busy as I expected. In fact Waitrose was fairly empty when I popped in. The weather today was lovely - we had sunshine and it was quite mild.

My blip today shows The Northern Goldsmiths Building in Newcastle. This impressive building on Blackett Street was commissioned by Thomas Cooke who engaged a young architect, James Cacket, to "design a new building of elegant proportions".

Northern Goldsmiths was started in 1892 by Thomas Cooke, a Northumbrian worthy, and has grown into one of the major jewellery groups in Britain.

In 1932 the Company installed the golden clock - it is finished in 24ct gold leaf, is over fourteen and a half feet in height and weighs one and a half tons. The clock is surmounted by a "life size" golden lady, based on the figure of Venus, whose outstretched arms symbolise progress. This clock soon became a recognised meeting place in the city centre, in a tradition that dates back to World War II, when servicemen and their sweethearts met there. It still remains a landmark in Newcastle today.