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Search the Public Notice Portal A site once central to generations of industry and employment is being cleared for a new chapter.
Demolition is under way at the former Davy Roll steelworks in Gateshead, a site with a steelmaking history stretching back more than 150 years.
The site sits just feet away from the demolition of the Gateshead flyover, which is also being ripped down after it closed amid safety concerns.
Close Works was acquired by Davy Ashmore in 1968, with the Davy Roll Company Ltd formed two years later in 1970.
The business later became Union Electric Steel in 1999, with the Gateshead site continuing to manufacture steel products for industry.
In February 2025, Union Electric Steel UK began consulting on a possible closure, citing three years of financial losses, reduced demand for UK-made products, high energy costs and the impact of Brexit.
The proposed closure put about 180 jobs at risk.
When it later announced the closure in June 2025, Union Electric Steel UK’s managing director, Will Garrett, said the decision meant the closure of the company’s Gateshead operations “after over 180 years of manufacturing”.
At the time, Gateshead Council leaders described it as a “significant blow” to the borough’s manufacturing sector - and pointed to the works’ legacy as a major employer for generations of residents.
Union Electric Steel UK later entered administration and shut with immediate effect in October 2025, after previously saying it expected to cease operations in spring 2026.
After the administration, 65 staff were made redundant, while around 90 employees were retained temporarily to complete outstanding orders.
The site is now being demolished.
(Image: Downcast Studios)
The factory’s equipment was then marketed for sale following the administration.
John Denham, owner of Denham Metals, said his company acquired the site from liquidators and is now clearing the remaining material.
He previously said: “We’re going to recycle all of the material there.
"I don’t know what I’m going to do with the site as of yet, but I think it’s in a good location and in the future it could get developed.”
Mr Denham said no firm plans for the land have yet been decided, but he believed the site’s location could make it suitable for future development.
Denham Metals has been contacted for further comment.