On the plus side, net8 to net10 we found a lot easier, most of the gotchas are in the release notes. Some OpenAPI pain, but it is possible to stay on the old generators during transition.
Zulu @ The Black Horse, Boldon, sauce is incredible, good portions and friendly staff. Try the White Chocolate Bread & Butter pudding w/ Jack Daniels sauce too, it is even better.
Tynemouth pool has either no lanes or a handful in some sessions depending on the time of day, it also has diving boards that can be used in some sessions, check the timetable. It is 3.6m at the deep end.