Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: Given the proximity of Gateshead to Newcastle , just south of the River Tyne from the city center , it is sometimes referred to as being a part of Newcastle .
Simplified: It lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne , opposite Newcastle upon Tyne . Gateshead town center and Newcastle city center are very close to one another , and together they form the urban core of Tyneside .