Tag: darlington

Rent A Cop Episode Seven: Twitter Turns On Francis

By on 11th December 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV

Episode seven of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

Well… we enjoyed it.

Francis has been up to his usual shenanigans in this week’s episode, taking charge of event security at Middlesbrough’s balloon festival, and on the hunt for a mischievous fish burglar. It’s a fine display of professionalism and dedication, especially considering he spends the latter half of the show with his arm in a sling.

Meanwhile, and despite having lost his job last week, Pembow is still out on the hunt for new business, doing his best to give away free promotional Sparta Security stickers. Admittedly, his efforts were largely unsuccessful, but fair play to the lad for his determination. A phone conversation between him and Francis reveals that he finally moves on and finds himself new emplyment in industrial cleaning.

Best of luck to him! But will we see him again?

Following Pembow’s dismissal, Francis is forced to pull together a band of local security experts to run operations. A selection of Darlington’s finest attend Sparta interviews, but sadly none quite make the cut.

 

As usual, the episode is packed full of laughs and – of course – Francis’ now famous one-liners, but the tides of opinion seem to be changing over on social media.

On Twitter, comments have been less-than encouraging…

Still, it can’t be all bad, as Francis is now such a huge TV star that he even has his own parody account. You can follow it here: @FrancisJonesNOT.

There’s just one episode left in the series, but with news of a Christmas special on the way, there should be plenty of Francis left to go around. The question is… will he catch the nuisance bikers before the series is out? We really, really hope so…

If you missed episode seven, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

To read our write-ups on previous episodes, click here.

What do you think of Rent A Cop and Sparta Security? Well-intentioned and genius, or ridiculous and embarrassing? Leave your comments below!

Darlington Mowden Park RFC Announce Harvey & Hugo Sponsorship Renewal

By on 11th December 2015in Local Biz

Darlington-based PR and Social Media agency, Harvey & Hugo, have announced the renewal of its successful partnership with local rugby club, Darlington Mowden Park RFC…

The thriving rugby club has had a fantastic year hosting numerous events, and has attracted sponsorship from prestigious companies such as Carlsberg, SG Petch and The Northern Echo.

Mowden Park has quickly transformed into one of the largest club rugby venues in the country, and is a key business hub for the region, with its community scheme also continuing to grow which is creating a lasting legacy for sport, education and training.

It is this combination of opportunities which Mowden Park can offer – along with an existing love for sport – that is the reason Charlotte Nichols, Harvey & Hugo’s Managing Director, is looking forward to continuing the partnership.

She said: “As partners, we share the same passion for sport and the North East, and it’s our pleasure to be able to help Mowden Park reach its full potential.

“This will be the second year of our sponsorship, and it’s great value for money. In return, we receive genuine business opportunities, which is fantastic, and it also gives us a chance to be part of the local community.”

Andrew McGreevy, sponsorship and events manager at Darlington Mowden Park RFC, added: “I’m thrilled to be renewing our partnership with Harvey & Hugo. They are an innovative and – most importantly – local business, with a great wealth of experience in the sector.

“We share the same drive to build a positive and sport filled community, and this partnership will help us achieve this.”

For more information on Harvey & Hugo, please visit www.harveyandhugo.com or tweet them at @harveyandhugo.

For more information on Mowden Park RFC, visit their website, Twitter and Facebook.

Darlington Couple Take Handmade Beard Care Products International

By on 8th December 2015in Local Biz

Bearded men across the region are swapping their traditional grooming tools for oils and balms, thanks to one young Darlington couple…

Heavy Metal Gentleman (HMG) is the brainchild of Thom and Laura Langlands, who produce homemade, luxury beard care products, having identified a gap in the local market for men’s grooming products.

The creative husband and wife team has rapidly seen their innovative idea grow into a business over the last year, with their high quality products reaching as far as Poland.

Talking about the snowballing of the business, Laura, 25, said: “It is a very exciting time for us. Not only to be recognised throughout the UK, but also Europe, because we’ve only been trading for a few months.

“Thom is an avid beardsman and with my understanding of hair and skin care, creating products quickly became a passion of ours, which we believe shows through our products.”

HMG was born from a shared love and interest in heavy metal and homemade skin care. Thom, 30, and Laura, decided to start working from their home in Darlington and believe this is one of the main reasons behind their business’ success.

“By brewing the oils and creating the balms ourselves, then hand-sticking a label on to every single product in our kitchen, we are able to pay a great amount of care and attention to what we produce and then go on to sell,” said Laura.

“There’s no doubt a lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into everything we make, but at least we know it’s 100% homemade.

“We use purely natural ingredients, including six of the best carrier oils, to make the base of our bespoke, handmade oils, and wouldn’t work any other way.”

Thom and Laura believe HMG products are suitable for everyone, and see this as another reason for why the business has taken off so well.

Thom said: “The great thing about our products is they’re for anyone, from the career beadsman to Mr Clean-Shaven.

“By using carrier oils, we can ensure our products contain the necessary vitamins and antioxidants for hydrating and revitalising the skin and hair, and they are also great for anyone to use who has sensitive and problematic skin.

“We see the Heavy Metal Gentleman brand as sophisticated, and our products are made with quality in mind. This is why we believe everybody who wishes to take care of their skin and hair should be using our oils.”

With 20 years of experience in retail and sales between them, the couple are continually developing new ideas and recently sealed two important deals with Darlington’s Maison Royale and Mr. Hutton’s barbers and bar, who will now stock the HMG range.

Future plans have also been put into place to develop a wider range of beard care and accessories – but the couple are not content with just supplying to Europe.

Laura said: “We both love what we do and we have had lots of fun with the products, from their concept to their creation, which drives us to keep creating new ideas.

“With our ever growing passion and excitement keeping our company interesting, innovative and continuously expanding, I definitely believe we can go global.”

In the hope of attaining this worldwide recognition, Heavy Metal Gentlemen has launched a Kickstarter campaign which aims to help the company find financial support to aid in its development and growth.

To show your support for Heavy Metal Gentlemen, visit the Kickstarter page.

For more information about Heavy Metal Gentlemen, visit their website, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Darlington Retailers Enticing Black Friday Shoppers

By on 23rd November 2015in Local Biz

Retailers in a North East town centre are tempting Black Friday bargain hunters with in-store, as well as on-line, offers…

Originally an American tradition, Black Friday, held on the first Friday following Thanksgiving, has become an international event, kick-starting present buying with huge savings and discounts.

And as businesses across the globe prepare for this year’s event, on Friday 27th November, one town hopes to boost business even further.

Retailers in Darlington town centre are hoping to persuade shoppers to turn up to the stores in person – rather than shop solely on line – and have lined up plenty of bargains to persuade them to do just that.

Throughout the course of the day, high street giants, such as BHS, along with smaller independent stores such as Chestnut Clothing at Grange Road, and Footprints at Skinnergate, will be slashing prices on everything from homeware to clothing and electrical goods.

Alex Hirst, manager of Distinct Darlington, which was set up to promote business in the town centre, said: “Nationally it is expected that Black Friday sales could hit the £1billion figure and Darlington’s shops are naturally keen to attract a slice of that.

“Many have been increasing their stock considerably in order to meet projected demand and a great deal of thought has gone into the offers and discounts they will be offering.

“They are also keen to attract people into the stores and have come up with some great bargains which won’t be available on-line.

Last year Black Friday resulted in a national online spend of £810m with discounts averaging 37 per cent.

To help shoppers identify bargains and track down discounts, Distinct Darlington will be highlighting special offers on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DistinctDarlington.

For further information about Distinct Darlington visit www.distinctdarlington.co.uk.

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Rent A Cop Episode Four: Francis Confirms Feelings Towards Broccoli

By on 20th November 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV

Episode four of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

 

We were hoping that this week’s Rent A Cop headline might have been ‘Francis Makes Spectacular Arrest’, but sadly ’twas not to be.

A criminal was – sort of – caught, in the form of a rogue lock gluer, but Francis wasn’t really there, so…

Perhaps the most notable thing to come out of this week’s episode is the importance of broccoli in a healthy, balanced diet. According to Francis, “That’s the key. Broccoli. It’s awesome.”

For further information on broccoli, click here.

Perhaps the star of the show was Dave Ovens. Granted, his walkie-talkie competency leaves much to be desired, but the way he stared down the lock culprit as he walked away was like the physical embodiment of justice itself.

 

Twitter has once again had much to say, though not all of it positive.

https://twitter.com/Hea1y/status/667501996195344384

Harsh.

If you missed the fourth episode, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

Check out our thoughts on episode one, two and three.

In other news, please be aware of the unidentified man currently on the loose in Darlington. If your locks have been recklessly glued, you can call Sparta Security on 0800 0234480.

What do you think? Is broccoli the next big thing? Do we eat enough of it? Leave a comment below!

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Alex Nelson’s Places To Go: Darlington

By on 18th November 2015in Have Your Say, In & Around, Lifestyle, Places To Go, What's New?

Stationmaster Alex Nelson has been suggesting places to go by train every month for ten years. This month, he’s headed to Darlington…

 

 

Over the past few decades, County Durham has been getting smaller. First of all, the county lost Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Stockton and Hartlepool in 1974, followed by Darlington when it became a unitary authority in 1997.

With its population of over 100,000, Darlington is a town famous for many reasons, not least for the world’s first locomotive hauled railway service (from Stockton to Darlington) founded by Edward Pease and his business associates.

The company initially provided only the track, which was hired out to whoever wished to run a train, hauled either by horses or by steam. The transition to standard railway management was a gradual one, spurred on by frequent disputes between drivers over right of way, and by the dangers of the higher speeds of steam locomotives.

The town does have its own railway museum, but it’s been several years since I’ve visited, as opening hours are much reduced. This isn’t at the main Darlington station, sometimes known as Bank Top, but at the original station at North Road, a 20 minute walk north of the town. It’s the first stop on the branch to Bishop Auckland, which runs infrequently, but stops alongside the museum and the shed where the iconic new steam locomotive 60163 Tornado was built in 2008.

North Road Station Museum is known as the Head of Steam, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-3.30pm. There is an admission charge of £4.95, with reductions for concessions and children. The big problem it faces, however, is that despite being a very interesting museum and incorporating the fascinating Ken Hoole Study Centre, it is dwarfed by the National Railway Museum off-shoot at Shildon, just up the line, which is much larger and benefits from free admission.

The Shildon museum is where people tend to gravitate, but on a day trip to Darlington, it’s well worth a visit to the original.

 

The town centre contains many interesting alleyways (or vennels), particularly between the High Street and Skinnergate, which runs parallel to the west, away from the railway station. There are many independent shops and specialist cafes on these vennels.

My wife and I enjoy many of the shows at the Darlington Civic Theatre, which is a more intimate performance space than the likes of the Sunderland Empire or Theatre Royal in Newcastle. The theatre is also close to the railway station for a ride home afterwards, but requires careful planning of train times if you’re to avoid a long wait after the show.

Darlington is also an excellent place to change trains, having a flat floor plan with no bridges or subways between platforms. Watch the indicators, though! Whilst southbound trains routinely leave from Platform 1, northbound from Platform 4, and locals to Middlesbrough/Saltburn from Platform 2/3, these are prone to swap around from time to time.

I learned this the hard way when I foolishly directed a lady on her way to Whitby (via Middlesbrough) to wait with me on Platform 1 whilst her train gently slid out of Platform 4… and it was her last connection. I wrote an apology in the Whitby Gazette and it won Letter of the Week, but the memory still fills me with dread.

On the railway, I’m supposed to know what I’m doing…

Alex Nelson

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Rent A Cop Episode Three: Audience Question Show’s Authenticity

By on 13th November 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV, Local Biz, What's New?

Episode three of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

 

Half 10 on a Thursday night is quickly becoming our favourite time of the week.

Episode three of Rent A Cop aired last night, and this week’s episode has seen Francis and the Sparta team reaching out to Darlington’s LGBT community. Political correctness is thrown swiftly out the window around three minutes in, when a gay couple – victims of a break-in – are jokingly asked “is this the first time your back door’s been knocked in?”

Francis goes on to battle with his instincts during a trip to Leeds, tasked with protecting a coach-load of drag queens on a night out. “I’ve got to keep telling myself, ‘it’s a man! It’s a man, Francis…”

We’re also shown another side to Sparta apprentice Pembow, who seems to be struggling with staying focused on the job at hand… and staying away from the booze. It’s admirable of Francis to give him the benefit of the doubt, but will Pembow’s employment survive until the end of the series?

 

Meanwhile, over on social media, audience reactions look as though they might be shifting away from being favourable. The burning question on everyone’s mind seems to be… is this for real!?

Apparently Francis’ exploits in this week’s episode have been enough to convince many people that Rent A Cop is all just one big joke. Personally, we’re with @leanneram88 on this one…

Yep, it’s real.

If you missed the third episode, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

Check out our thoughts on episode one and two.

What do you think? Is Sparta Security for real? Is it scripted? Is it a joke?

Leave a comment below!

Rent A Cop Episode Two: “No Sid The Sexist”

By on 5th November 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV, Local Biz, What's New?

Episode two of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

 

The week following episode one of BBC’s Rent A Cop has seen a few questionable headlines surrounding Sparta Security frontman Francis Jones, but despite accusations of sexism and bringing embarrassment upon Darlo, he’s stuck by his guns.

“Francis Jones is helping people in this town,” he’s been quoted as saying (in the third person), “and I’d like to take a look at their lives and see what rainbows and sunshine they’re bringing to Darlington.”

But regardless of his good intentions, opinions likely won’t have changed following this week’s episode.

Episode two saw the Sparta team continuing their war against a group of bikers, but as yet they haven’t been caught. It may only be a matter of time though, as Francis’ specialist covert techniques (such as turning his shirt inside out) will ensure they’ve got the upper hand.

We were also given a fly-on-the-wall glimpse of Francis’ love life, which will have done little to combat the shouts of sexism. He’s quick to cop a feel early on date night.

Jokes aside, though, the company’s approach to taking on apprentices with criminal pasts is certainly admirable. They seem genuinely hopeful for latest recruit Pembow, whose past involves thieving and a spell in prison. Love him or hate him, Francis is clearly keen to do his bit to better society, and we wish him the best of luck in that endeavour.

 

Once again, viewers took to Twitter to share their own thoughts.

If you missed the second episode, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

Check out our thoughts on episode one here.

What did you think of ‘Rent A Cop’? Is Francis’ work questionable, or is a well-intentioned, loveable character?

Leave a comment below! We want to hear what you have to say.

Darlington Table Tennis Academy: Reigniting The Sport

By on 30th October 2015in Have Your Say, Lifestyle, Local Biz, What's New?

Giulio Pontone, secretary of Darlington Table Tennis Academy, talks about the group’s history…

Darlington Table Tennis Academy was formed in 2013 to try and revitalise the sport in our area, and to stop the demise of the Table Tennis League.

Over the past thirty years, the Darlington Table Tennis League has seen a reduction from six divisions and seventy-two teams, to two divisions and twelve teams, which prompted a group of league players to get together and form the Academy, hoping to reverse this trend.

With the support and funding of the Darlington Sports Development Team, Sport England and Durham County Community Foundation, we were able to purchase equipment, cover our initial venue hire and coaching course fees, and eventually established the Academy at the Education Village in Darlington.

Within a very short time, interest and membership grew beyond all expectation, and in need of the flexibility to run more sessions, we moved to Longfield Sports Hall, and finally to our current venue at the Kings Centre Darlington.

When establishing the Academy, we agreed three main objectives:

  • To increase table tennis in Darlington and the surrounding areas.
  • To increase the number teams in the Darlington T/T league.
  • To ensure interest in table tennis is sustainable, and to promote and increase participation within schools.

These objectives are ongoing, and we have made significant progress in all these areas.

The Academy now has over a hundred members of all ages, and offer sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday evenings, and Friday mornings.

Along with these sessions, we’ve also set up satellite clubs at two secondary schools, offering further sessions on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

This year, we’ve entered eight teams into the Darlington League, representing the Kings Centre, which is a 50% increase over 2013.

We’re currently working with four secondary schools in Darlington, running weekly after-school clubs with average attendance of over a hundred students per week.

We firmly believe that inspiring youngsters within schools is key to sustaining interest in Darlo’s table tennis, and over the past two years – through taster sessions and demonstrations – we’ve involved over 1,500 children in the sport.

As the Academy has developed, so has the ability of our youngsters, who are now playing in the local league, entering local, regional and national events, and establishing themselves within the junior England rankings.

Because of costs and availability of volunteers and coaches, we were unable to offer more sessions at the Kings Centre to cope with the increase in membership, but with the support and funding of Tees Valley Sport, we were able to extend the influence of the Academy by setting up satellite clubs in Polam and Longfield secondary schools, offering more sessions to youngsters and the community.

 

Our partnership with the schools has resulted in the Academy receiving the award for the North East Regional Satellite Club of the Year 2015, recognising the hard work of our dedicated coaches and volunteers.

Our challenge for the future is to continue maintaining that impetus and achieve our core objectives. However, every successful sport organisation needs dedicated volunteers to make it happen, and we encourage you all to get in touch.

Interested in taking part or volunteering?

You can contact Giulio at giulio.pontone@yahoo.co.uk, visit the DTTA website, or call 01325 300942.

Rent A Cop Episode One: First Reactions

By on 30th October 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV, Have Your Say, Local Biz, What's New?

Episode one of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

 

Well, nobody can argue that the first episode wasn’t… interesting.

‘Rent A Cop’ follows Francis Jones, front-man of Darlington-based private security firm Sparta Security, and his team of professionals in their battle to rid the streets of crime. With a cast of visionaries and eccentrics, it certainly made for an entertaining half hour.

Click here to watch the trailer.

To begin with, it’s difficult not to be mildly inspired by Jones. A born-again Christian (though not a ‘religious nut job’, he assures us), he’s built an impressive business in a short space of time, and there are plenty of folks in Darlo who are only too happy to purchase the firm’s services.

But when the fly-on-the-wall documentary reveals such titbits of information as his ‘investment’ in silicone breasts for his secretary, it’s also difficult not to raise your eyebrows.

 

Despite a long list of easily quotable one-liners (“You want ice cream, you go to Tom & Jerry”), some of the best laughs are to be had over on Twitter, where viewers have been quick to share their reactions.

Jones has previously stated that ‘Rent A Cop’ could make or break the business, and with another seven episodes yet to air, it’ll be interesting to see whether a few more Darlo residents will be signing up for Spartacus’ help.

If you missed the first episode, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

What did you think of ‘Rent A Cop’? Does Francis’ work inspire you, or does it cast a negative light on Darlington?

Leave a comment below! We want to hear what you have to say.

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