The 20th Century Society exists to campaign on behalf of outstanding buildings and designs that have looked to shape the British landscape since 1914. Whilst some of the buildings that it hopes to protect are iconic, some are little-known, but all of them are considered to be irreplaceable.
They highlight those that they deem to be under threat, having been founded as an organisation in 1979 in order to complement the work of the Victorian Society, which had been formed 20 years earlier. Now the Society believes that part of St James’ Park is ‘at risk’, which means its future could be in doubt.
What The 20th Century Society Are Saying
The 20th Century Society has put the East Stand of St James’ Park, home to Newcastle United, on its list of landmarks that are ‘at risk’ of either being neglected, falling foul of dereliction, or being demolished entirely. The football ground has been on the same site since 1892 and is considered to be one of the best grounds in the Premier League. Since the club was bought by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, however, vast sums of money have been spent as part of the regime’s sports-washing operation to distract from its appalling human rights record.
We’re in Newcastle today to call out #Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses and sportswashing.
Join our public briefing with @joey_shea at @NorthumbriaUni, Ellison Building Block B, Room 003 at 16:00. pic.twitter.com/ztiiCCSNNX
— ALQST for Human Rights (@ALQST_En) February 18, 2025
Part of the sports-washing plans will almost certainly include a regeneration of St James’ Park, which might well put the East Stand at risk of demolition. The Stand is, according to The 20th Century Society, a ‘finely detailed’ one that has ‘brutalist credentials’ and was a ‘striking urban set-piece’ of architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries. The design of St James’ Park put it in a ‘lopsided, asymmetrical’ manner that was necessary because of the presence of the Grade I-listed Georgian terraced housing on one side and the Victorian-era Leazes Park on the other.
@puji_priyatno93 James Park 🥹 Home 🖤🤍 #newcastle #newcastleunited #nufc #newcastleupontyne #stjamespark #stjamesparknufc #stadion #themagpies #toonarmy #football #footballclub #club #england #home #fyp #viralvideo #berandafyp ♬ suara asli – 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 || 𝐀11 – 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 || 𝐀11
Although The 20th Century Society admitted that this was an ‘exciting new era for Newcastle United’, provided you’re happy to ignore the sports-washing nature of the club’s ownership, the main concerns revolve around the idea that the East Stand may end up being either knocked down in order to allow for the expansion of St James’ Park, or else abandoned completely if the Saudi Arabian nation-state owners decide to move the club to a new location altogether. It is hoped that by flagging it up, moves might be made to protect the Stand’s long-term existence.