I recently re-read Ian Nairn's 1960 article on 'Superlative Newcastle-upon-Tyne', and thought you'd like to have a browse of the highly complimentary piece yourself. It is an interesting take on a city "almost at full term", as Nairn puts it. With its blackened buildings (which Nairn likes very much) and disintegrating Quayside, our man describes the city, still, as "inexhaustible" - meant as a compliment - and suggests that Newcastle "could be one of the great cities of Europe" if it could just get it's act together over the coming years. Other than that I shall leave the piece to speak for itself. What a great read!
Nairn visited the city regularly over the years. On YouTube can be found a short piece by him on a subsequent 're-assessment' in, I think, 1970 - see here (it is interspersed with bits about Aarhus in Denmark). Jordan Reeve takes a look, too, at Nairn's efforts; and there is a general overview of the man himself here. And also to be found is a related deep dive by Jones the Planner.
That should keep you busy for a while....
