Christmas Trees in South Shields: Where to Buy and Recycle

South Shields has no Christmas tree farm of its own, but two long-standing tree yards sit just outside the borough, one on the coast road at Whitburn and one on the A184 at West Boldon, and the town's discount supermarkets stock real trees in the run-up to Christmas. This guide covers where to buy, how to keep a tree looking good until Twelfth Night, and what South Tyneside Council and local charities offer when it is time to get rid of it.

Where to buy a real tree

Christmas Trees North East, Wheathall Farm, Whitburn

The closest dedicated tree yard to most of South Shields is Christmas Trees North East at Wheathall Farm, on the coast road at Whitburn (SR6 7EU). It sells Nordmann fir and Scotch pine, from small 4ft trees up to giants of 17ft and more, all netted for the journey home, with stands on sale too. Local delivery is offered for a small charge in the evenings.

In 2025 the yard opened daily from Monday 24 November, 9am to 6pm, and a 6ft tree was £50. The 2026 opening date had not been published as of 3 November; the yard usually opens in the second half of November, so check the website before you go.

Scott's House Farm, West Boldon

Scott's House Farm Christmas Trees on Newcastle Road in West Boldon (NE36 0BE) has been selling trees for more than thirty years. It offers Nordmann fir and spruce from about 5ft to 13ft, plus pine. It usually opens from mid-November and has been known to sell out of popular sizes in the second week of December, so don't leave it too late. Opening times for 2026 are not online yet: ring the farm on 07966 401097 before travelling.

Supermarkets in town

For a cheaper, no-frills tree, Aldi and Lidl have both sold real Nordmann firs in their UK stores in recent Decembers, while stocks last. In 2025 Aldi's trees arrived in stores on 23 November. In South Shields that means Aldi on Chichester Road and Lidl on Laygate. Stock is limited and sizes are usually medium and large only, so it is worth asking in store when the delivery is due.

Choosing and caring for your tree

The two trees you will see most are the Nordmann fir, with soft, glossy needles that hold well indoors for four weeks or more, and the Norway spruce, the traditional Christmas scent but quicker to drop. Scotch pine, sold at Whitburn, is a good middle ground with long needles that stay on well.

A few habits make a real difference:

• Check it is fresh. Run a hand along a branch: very few needles should come away.
• Cut and water. Saw a couple of centimetres off the base when you get it home and stand it in water straight away. Use a stand with a reservoir and top it up daily; a tree can drink a litre or more a day at first.
• Keep it cool. Place it away from radiators, fires and sunny windows, which dry it out fastest.
• Measure first. Allow for the stand and the topper when checking ceiling height.

Recycling your tree in January

Please don't leave a tree in a back lane or by a bin: South Tyneside Council treats trees left anywhere other than its official sites as fly-tipping.

Council drop-off points

Each January South Tyneside Council opens temporary drop-off points for real trees in parks across the borough. Last year (January 2026) there were 10, and the last collection from them was on Friday 16 January. The South Shields sites were:

• Temple Park, next to the Temple Park Centre and the recycling site
• North Marine Park
• Readhead Park
• The Recycling Village at Middlefields

There were also sites at Disco Fields Park, Grange Park, Cornthwaite Park and Oakleigh Gardens in the Boldons, Cleadon and Whitburn. Only real trees with all decorations removed are accepted. The 2027 list and dates are usually published in December on the council's recycling Christmas trees page.

The Recycling Village

South Tyneside's household recycling centre is the Recycling Village on Throckley Way, Middlefields Industrial Estate, South Shields, NE34 0NU. It takes real trees and is also the place for an artificial tree that has reached the end of its life. Check the council's website for current opening hours and whether you need to book a slot before visiting over the holidays.

Garden waste bins

South Tyneside's paid-for garden waste collection runs from spring to November, so there are no green bin collections in January. If you subscribe, you can cut your tree into pieces and put it in the bin once collections restart.

Grace House tree collection

The Sunderland children's charity Grace House North East collects real trees from homes in return for a £20 donation per tree. For 2027 the collection days are 5, 6, 7 and 9 January, covering postcodes NE31 to NE38 (which includes all of South Shields) along with parts of Sunderland, Gateshead and County Durham. Trees go to a local farm. Places are capped, at 150 trees to begin with, so book early through the Grace House website.

Artificial trees

If you are replacing an artificial tree that still works, a charity shop or a local Facebook group will usually find it a new home before it needs to go to the Recycling Village.