The civic centre was commissioned to replace the aging 19th century town hall in West Street.

[1] Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the new civic centre on 1 December 1990[4] and signed the visitors' book before departing for Blaydon to conduct the official opening of the new Blaydon Bridge across the River Tyne.

[5] In 1991 three large stone figures individually depicting infancy, maturity and old age and collectively known as "The Family", which had been carved from large blocks of crystalline Cumbrian limestone by the sculptor, Gordon Young, were erected outside the civic centre.

[6][7][8] A refurbishment of the building, involving new desks and chairs for over 1,500 employees and a new public restaurant, was completed in 2012.

[10][11][12] The ceremony rooms, where weddings and receptions take place, were renovated with improved lighting and a new "flower wall" in June 2018.