A NORTH East punk star has converted an old school dinner depot into a new base for bands just starting out on their music careers.

Pauline Murray was the lead singer with Penetration, who played at gigs with the Stranglers, Generation X and the Buzzcocks, in the late 1970s.

The band appeared on Granada TV's iconic So It Goes music show, where they performed their best known single Don't Dictate. The band still occasionally get together to perform today.

Pauline had been running Polestar Studios, where Maximo Park first rehearsed professionally, from premises in Ouseburn for two decades to give local bands access to cheap, well-equipped rehearsal space.

The business has now shifted into the former school meals depot in St Michael’s Road in Byker, which has been painstakingly converted into the new rehearsal studios.

The new location has four large, purpose-built rehearsal studios that are all on the ground floor for easy access, so bands don’t have to lug their heavy equipment up the stairs.

Pauline, from Ferryhill in County Durham, said: “We've been operating out of the Ouseburn for 21 years but then this building came up.

“It was an old school dinner depot, owned by the council. It had been vandalised and dilapidated. It's taken seven months to get the back of the building done.

“We had to do it all from scratch, but now it's ours. There are four rehearsal studios all fully sound-proofed and fully-equipped. All the rooms are brand new. You can't hear the next band. It's probably the best around at the moment.”

Pauline was originally inspired to set up a venue for new bands after her own experience of writing, performing and touring. When we started out as Penetration in Ferryhill we used to practise in the scout hut, the church hall, upstairs at the local pub,” said Pauline. “Places like Polestar just didn't exist, especially where we lived. So when I came out of the band I knew what bands needed.”

Polestar Studios charges by the hour, so all bands need to do is walk in and plug in their guitars. Equipment like amplifiers, microphones and drums are provided at the site.

Now that she has the new premises, Pauline is putting together plans for a recording studio at the Polestar site.