and Elswick were targeted, such as the Dodds Arms pub. When police arrived on the scene, they were forced back by a crowd of over 300 youths, as stones were thrown at them, and fire engines suffered extensive damage and vandalism. Benwell high street was entirely left in ruin, as people upon roofs threw roof tiles at police vans. Aftermath The riots were condemned by the Prime Minister, John Major and Home Secretary Kenneth Baker, while the Chief of Northumbria Police, Sir Stanley Bailey said the perpetrators would be caught and charged. Major did not deploy riot police immediately as he wanted the crowd to be contained first. This decision was later criticised for giving the rioters a free hand. After the riots, £66 million was spent on regenerating the estate. Around 750 properties were demolished, and new houses were built, while the remaining properties were refurbished. A new community centre, health centre, and police station were established, though the police station has since been closed. The Cedarwood Trust, founded in 1980, has continued to work exclusively in the area and was instrumental in rebuilding the community. The trust has operated from several sites over the years, but by 2019 it was operating from the Meadowhall Centre, in the heart of the estate and an area regarded as a focus of conflict. Meadow Well-Connected was established in 1993 to enable and support the residents of the Meadow Well and the surrounding area. The charity aims to train local people with new skills and develop confidence by offering training, support and volunteering opportunities. Broader context The Meadow Well riots were one of several waves of rioting which hit parts of Britain during 1991 and 1992. Other areas affected by rioting were Handsworth in Birmingham, Ely in Cardiff, Kates Hill in Dudley and Blackbird Leys in Oxford. These riots were comparable with earlier waves of rioting which had been seen across Britain in 1981 and again in 1985. Rioting on this scale in Britain was not seen again until August 2011. References External links BBC archive report. The Cedarwood Trust. Meadow Well Connected. 1991 riots Riots and civil disorder in England 1991 in England History of Tyne and Wear 20th century in Newcastle upon Tyne September 1991 events in the United Kingdom North Shields