Tag: durham

Escape from Lumley Castle

By on 14th December 2018in Entertainment, Events, In & Around, Places To Go, What's New?, What's On?

The Legend surrounding a 630-year-old North East castle is to be brought vividly to life, giving amateur detectives the chance to solve a mystery in a UK first.

Lumley Castle Hotel, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has announced plans to create the country’s first escape room within a historic property.

The 73-room castle has joined forces with the highly acclaimed Escape Rooms Durham, which already runs two games within the city centre, Mr Borrowdale’s Study and Lab Heist.

And the organisation has created a unique new escape room challenge, based on the tragic story of Lily of Lumley, who, in the 14th century, was reputedly thrown down a well by Catholic priests for renouncing her faith.

Lily is said to haunt the castle and there have been many supposed sightings of her ghost over the years – but now everyone who visits Lumley will get the opportunity to come face to face with the tragic heroine.

The escape room is being created in the castle’s former beer cellar and is scheduled to launch on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2019.

Sam Lupton of Escape Rooms Durham said this will be a unique experience.

“We have worked tirelessly over the past few months to create a game that is not only entertaining but is also completely immersive in its game play and the only one of its kind in the UK,” said Sam.

“We can’t wait to share the experience of Lily of Lumley with visitors to the castle and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with this fantastic hotel.”

Although the story centres around the legend of Lily of Lumley, the experience is set to be family friendly and suitable for anyone over the age of ten.

The Escape Room experience will be open to residents and non-residents alike with the option to add an overnight stay, afternoon tea package, or dinner in the hotel’s highly acclaimed Black Knight restaurant at the time of booking.

Lumley Castle Sales manager Lauren Colledge believes the attraction will be a fantastic asset to the hotel and give visitors another reason to visit.

“This is a very exciting venture for us and we are investing heavily in it,” she said.

It will mean a visit to Lumley will be even more special and we know it will appeal to a wide range of audiences, from corporate guests who want a challenging team building activity to leisure visitors who want to have some fun.”

For more information or to make a booking visit www.escapedurham.co.uk.

Save The Date! Lumiere Returns With Director’s Cut of Past Festival Favourites For 10th Anniversary Edition 14th – 17th November 2019

By on 14th November 2018in Places To Go, What's On?
Lumiere

The biennial Lumiere light festival, produced by leading arts charity Artichoke and commissioned by Durham County Council, will return to Durham city from the 14th – 17th November 2019. Lumiere 2019 will mark 10 years since the festival first launched in Durham in 2009.

Since 2009, Lumiere has become a leading light in the cultural calendar of the North East with a worldwide reputation for excellence. Visitors to the 2019 anniversary edition can expect to see exciting new commissions created by UK and international artists, alongside some of the festival’s most memorable installations from the past decade. The artistic programme is under wraps for now but be the first to know what’s happening by signing up to the newsletter at the newly-revamped festival website, Lumiere-festival.com.

Helen Marriage, Director of Artichoke, comments: “It’s exciting to be planning for this 10 th anniversary edition and I’m especially looking forward to selecting my “Director’s Cut” from previous festivals. Over the last decade, around 150 artworks made by hundreds of artists and technicians have created a magical journey of discovery through the cityscape, involving thousands of community participants”. Sarah Coop, Artichoke’s Development Director adds: “This has only been possible with the help and support of local sponsors and funders large and small. What is so wonderful about Lumiere Durham is that it is a massive community effort. Everyone comes together to make it happen. We are calling on local business to support this spectacular anniversary edition and become proud partners in this event which offers a showcase to the world”.

Since its inception in 2009, Lumiere has grown year on year and now attracts hundreds of thousands of local and national visitors to Durham, looking to experience the historic city ablaze with light. The festival, which contributes significantly to the local economy, experienced a record 240,000 visitors in 2017 across an expanded footprint, with more than half of the installations located outside the central peninsula area.

Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “Lumiere has been really important for County Durham over the past ten years, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and bringing millions of pounds into the economy. Its programme of community engagement has also ensured that residents from across the county are not only able to enjoy the festival but also have the opportunity to get directly involved in it.

“I am very much looking forward to Lumiere 2019, which promises to be another spectacular event. Although the programme has yet to be announced, Heron is the perfect reminder of what we can expect next year.”

It is fitting that the city now known as ‘Place of Light’ should become the permanent home of some of the festival’s installations. On Tuesday 13th November, Heron, an illuminated homage to one of England’s most magnificent birds, will be unveiled as a permanent public sculpture on the banks of the River Wear.

Created by artist Jon Voss and debuted at the 2017 festival, this permanent acquisition has been made possible through the generous support of the Banks Community Fund. Heron adds to a growing collection of public art in Durham City, supported by the Fund and maintained by Durham County Council.

Mark Dowdall, Environment and Community Director at The Banks Group, said: “As a longstanding County Durham-based business, we are proud to be helping to further extend Lumiere’s local cultural legacy by enabling the eye-catching Heron to become a permanent part of the Durham City landscape.

“This is the third permanent Lumiere installation that we have supported through the Banks Community Fund, following Helvetictoc at Clayport Library and Lightbench at Freeman’s Quay, and we believe they all make a positive, long-lasting contribution to both local residents’ and visitors’ enjoyment of our wonderful city.”

Lumiere is made possible through the support of commissioning body Durham County Council, Arts Council England and a host of funders and supporters. Fundraising for the 2019 edition is underway with local developer Arlington being one of the first to sign up. Find out more about how to get involved by contacting Artichoke’s Development Director: sarah.coop@artichoke.uk.com

What’s On: April 2018

By on 4th April 2018in What's New?, What's On?

Bishop Auckland Food Festival

Foodies are about to see the return of one of County Durham’s tastiest yearly traditions: Bishop Auckland Food Festival! A wide array of traders and producers will gather to show off their products at the market place near the town hall – and the star chefs turning up this year will include This Morning regular Phil Vickery and former The Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown. It’s all happening on 21st to 22nd April.

Phill Jupitus: Juplicity, The Witham, Barnard Castle

Former Never Mind The Buzzcocks captain Phill Jupitus visited Durham’s Gala Theatre in November with his latest stand-up show. Still, if you missed it, he’s re-staging it in Barnard Castle this month. Expect Phill to recall elements of his “chaotic” life, including his daughter Molly’s gay marriage; the trope of gay marriage is “very much in vogue at the minute”, Phill has remarked. He’ll be at The Witham on 21st April.

Queen Victoria in Paris, The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

Thanks to the recent success of ITV period drama Victoria, there has been renewed interest in the 19th-century queen’s early life and reign. In 1855, she spent time in Paris – as a guest of the then Emperor of the French, Napoléon III – on a state visit. This historic occasion was captured in 51 watercolours currently on display in this exhibition, which will run until 24th June.

Maker Faire UK, Life Science Centre, Newcastle

In the States, Maker Faire has long been helping amateur inventors to show off their creations – and the UK version of Maker Faire has become a yearly tradition in Newcastle. At the time of writing, Maker Faire UK has not yet released its programme for the 2018 outing; however, you can expect over 300 DIYers, hackers, coders and other creative types to descend on Life Science Centre for the weekend of 28th to 29th April.

Hexham Book Festival

While County Durham has its own prestigious book festival, that won’t be returning until October. In the meantime, Hexham will be welcoming plenty of big-name writers for its own literary festival running from 26th April until 6th May. Harriet Harman, Evan Davis and Jeremy Vine are among this year’s speakers set to discuss such topical issues as Brexit, Russia and the scourge of “fake news”.

Westworld, Sky Atlantic

The sci-fi thriller series Westworld debuted in 2016 and quickly impressed both viewers and critics with its plotting, visuals and performances. However, as creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy know well, Westworld also incorporates Wild West elements in adapting Michel Crichton’s 1973 film.

The show is set in a future with a Westworld theme park that lets its visitors sample an immersive simulation of the Wild West. This simulation takes place in Sweetwater, a frontier town populated by “hosts”, human-resembling androids whose memories are wiped each day. However, as some of the hosts become self-aware, this doesn’t bode well for the future of the park…

The second series will start airing on 23rd April, at 2am on Sky Atlantic. That’s when the show is getting simulcast with the US; however, Sky Atlantic will also later repeat it at 9pm that day.

Much To Look Forward To In 2017

By on 27th January 2017in Local Biz

Leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Simon Henig, has used his first address to council of 2017 to highlight that there is much to look forward to in what promises to be an exciting year ahead.

Set against the backdrop of Brexit uncertainty and continuing austerity, Cllr Henig insists that the council continues to be “fiercely ambitious” despite having already faced budget cuts of £200 million.

He said: “We will focus on our key priorities: encouraging continued growth of our economy, redoubling our efforts to make Durham a safe, clean and green place to live and promoting a thriving visitor economy and cultural sphere..”

Cllr Henig also highlighted what can be achieved when partners and businesses from across the county work together. He said: “I was privileged to be present as the first Hitachi train, assembled on the production line at the Newton Aycliffe plant, was unveiled recently.

“Many companies from the county supply components for the trains and this historic moment served as a great example of how working together can bring huge benefits to the county, justifying the many years of hard work that brought Hitachi to County Durham, beating off competition from more than 40 other sites across the UK.”

Hitachi is just one of several success stories the county has to celebrate, including the creation of 1,200 jobs by ResQ in Seaham following support from Business Durham, the council’s business arm. Cllr Henig continued: “We are already looking forward to more good economic news in 2017 – this will include the start of the next phase of expansion at NETPark in Sedgefield and a new facility to expand GlaxoSmithKline in Barnard Castle.

“Redevelopments are now underway on this side of the riverbanks in Durham City which will enhance retail and cinema offers; all of these developments mean more job opportunities for local people and are key to our plans for a brighter future for County Durham.

“These plans include updated masterplans for Durham City and our major towns throughout the county – masterplans which will go before our Area Action Partnerships locally following consideration by Cabinet. Each is unique; each details the work undertaken so far, and what is still to come. We also look forward to ‘Operation Spruce Up’ within each of our 14 AAP’s as we continue our programme of spring cleans across County Durham so that this county is seen in its best possible light.”

In addition to the work of the council, Cllr Henig also highlighted some of the UK’s most popular and ground breaking events that the council works to support: “We are delighted that Kynren will return for a second season this summer – described as the country’s largest outdoor performance since the London Olympics – and attracting 100,000 visitors at a series of stunning night-time performances last year.

“Beamish, already the UK’s most popular living museum, will commence its expansion to encompass a reconstructed 1950’s town this year. The project to improve Seaham marina will continue as well as a new activity centre set to offer water and land sports. Our popular annual festivals – including Bishop Auckland Food Festival, Brass and the Durham Book Festival – will again entertain locals and bring in many thousands of visitors.

“Finally we also welcome back Lumiere for a fifth time in November – now the UK’s largest light festival – and this year accompanied by a major international lighting conference which we have attracted to Durham that last year took place in Seoul in South Korea.”

Putting Young People At The Heart Of Decision-Making

By on 19th January 2017in In & Around

A range of schemes that enable children and young people to get involved in decision-making in County Durham were outlined to councillors onWednesday, 18 January.

Members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet heard how the authority, its 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAP) and other organisations working together as the County Durham Partnership are using a range of methods to engage with younger residents.

This year, for the first time, young people aged 11 years and older living or attending school in County Durham were able to take part in voting for AAP priorities in their area. More than 3,000 young people took part.

Teesdale and Three Towns AAPs, meanwhile, encourage young people to fill in applications for Small Grants Funding themselves, with other young people asked to appraise and approve submissions.

In the Mid Durham area, members of the Youth Area Committee, which includes young people from six local villages, have been working with the AAP for a number of years. The AAP also regularly works with primary and secondary schools.

Mid Durham and Stanley AAPs have a young person’s representative on their board, with 17-year-old Liam Bell, the Stanley rep, receiving a Chairman’s Medal for his voluntary work.

The report to Cabinet also outlined how County Durham Economic Partnership and the county’s Children and Families Partnership, the Health and Wellbeing Board, Safe Durham Partnership Board and the Environment Partnerships are also working to involve children and young people in their work.

Initiatives include the Erasmus+ project, which saw five council apprentices spending two works working with their counterparts in Gothenburg; the launch of the inaugural Student Voice Survey, which more than 8,000 secondary school pupils took part in; and involving children in designing the logo and branding for the 0 to 19 health visiting and school nursing service.

More Than 2,000 People Sign Up For DurhamWorks help

By on 12th January 2017in In & Around

More than 2,000 young people have now signed up to a £17 million project designed to develop their skills, increase opportunities and help them into work.

The DurhamWorks programme is aiming to improve the prospects of County Durham’s 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training.

And just six months into the more than two year project it is well on course to put almost 6,000 people on the path to employment by summer 2018.

Cllr Ossie Johnson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services said: “In only a few months DurhamWorks has successfully signed up over 2,000 County Durham 16 to 24-year-olds  who were not in employment, education, or training.

“Unfortunately due to issues including the late introduction of increased requirements by the Department of Work and Pensions, and a delay in the payment of funding from the Government, we have had to request that our original target for sign ups in 2016 be reduced.

“Yet the overall target of involving 5,830 people in the DurhamWorks programme by July 2018 remains unchanged and, having now introduced a system to gather and verify eligibility, we expect the numbers of participants to increase significantly in the coming weeks.

“We are working with employers and Business Durham to make sure there are jobs and apprenticeships for people to progress into, and we remain confident that the project will be a success.”

Already more than 300 small firms are working with the project to help create new job opportunities for the county’s young people, with businesses saying they appreciate the support they are receiving  to help them recruit the most appropriate people.

And more businesses are being encouraged to find out about working with the project, to help find the young staff they need.

The council’s Cabinet will receive an update on the programme on Wednesday January 18.

For more information about DurhamWorks, and how to get involved, visit www.durham.gov.uk/durhamworks

Responding To Poverty

By on 12th January 2017in Lifestyle

Councillors will hear about the continuing work to respond to tackling poverty across County Durham when they meet next week.

Members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet will hear about the work of the authority and its partners to help those affected through changes made as a result of the Government’s welfare reform programme and the challenges of continuing austerity.

More work is planned through an in-depth study into child poverty to further develop understanding of the issue in County Durham.

Councillors will be asked to give the go-ahead for the research to help develop further approaches to tackling poverty when they meet at the Glebe Centre, Murton, on Wednesday, 18 January.

Cllr Lucy Hovvels, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for adult and health services, said: “Poverty can affect every area of a child’s development – social, educational and personal.

“Living in a poor household can reduce children’s expectations of their own lives and lead to a cycle where poverty is repeated from generation to generation.

“If we want to give children the best start in life, we need to target everything from health, education and employment to behaviour, finance, family and personal relationships.

“In order to do this, we need to carry out detailed analysis of the issue and come to a better understanding of how it affects the lives of families in County Durham.”

If it goes ahead, the research would include mapping service provision across the county in order to identify where new approaches and interventions are needed.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the council will continue its work as a member of the North East Child Poverty and also take up the opportunity to work with the North East Child Poverty Commission.

The report also highlights the pressure within the Discretionary Housing Payments budget in 2016/17 due to increasing demand for support from residents struggling with housing payment demands.

Road Widening Will Reduce Queues At Thinford Roundabout

By on 6th January 2017in Events

Work to widen a section of the A688 to the east of Thinford roundabout is set to begin in the New Year.

The scheme, being carried out by Durham County Council, aims to increase capacity at the junction and reduce traffic queues. Widening of the road at this location has been a longstanding aim which is only now possible due to the demolition of the former Thinford Inn.

It will also include the creation of a new junction, which will provide a right turn lane from the A688 and access to a new development due to open later in the year.

Work will begin on Monday, 16 January and is expected to take about three months to complete, during which time the eastbound lane of the A688 will be closed from the roundabout towards Metal Bridge.

Businesses normally accessed via this section of the road will remain open, with parking provided in the layby to the east of the A167 southbound carriageway approaching Thinford roundabout.

The layby will be closed to other traffic while work is ongoing and will remain closed once the scheme is complete.

A diversion will be in place, taking drivers via the A167 to Rushyford, the A689 to the Sands Hall roundabout at Sedgefield and then the A177 to Tursdale.

Several full closures of the A688 will be required towards the end of the works. Further information will be provided in advance of these closures.

Adrian White, Durham County Council’s head of transport and contract services, said: “These essential works will support the regeneration of the area and reduce waiting traffic at what has become something of a bottleneck.

“There will be a diversion in place and motorists should expect some disruption. We would like to thank them in advance for their patience.”

As well as street lighting, signage and drainage works, the scheme will include the diversion of utilities.

 

 

Deadline For Primary School Place Applications Approaches

By on 5th January 2017in In & Around

Parents in County Durham are reminded they are running out of time to apply for primary school places for their children.

The deadline for applications for the next academic year, which starts in September 2017, is Sunday 15 January 2017.

Cllr Ossie Johnson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “In our county we benefit from many schools with superb facilities and dedicated, talented staff, and we hope that through our admissions system people can express their preferences and see children enjoy a happy and successful education.

“We know that the decision of where to send your children is a big one, and can be difficult, but we would urge parents to make sure they apply by the deadline as a late application greatly reduces your chances of getting into your preferred school.”

Applications can be made online, at www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions, or by post.

Forms can also be requested by phoning 03000 265896 or by writing to the School Admissions and Transport Team at Durham County Council, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UJ.

If posting, the forms should be sent back using signed for or special delivery services.

Offers of places will be made to parents on 16 April 2017.

If you apply online you will receive an offer email. If you apply by post you will receive an offer letter. These should arrive by no later than 16 April.

Landlord Accreditation Scheme Racks Up Century

By on 5th January 2017in What's New?

A scheme to support landlords and protect tenants across County Durham has reached a new landmark.

Durham County Council’s Landlord Accreditation Scheme has welcomed its 100th member, Paul McFarling, bringing the total number of properties covered by the scheme to well over 2,000 across the county.

The project sees landlords working with the council to ensure they offer quality accommodation and gives tenants peace of mind that their landlord is registered with the local authority.

Paul said: “Being accredited means that people looking to rent can see that I’m a reputable landlord who offers good quality, well managed accommodation. There are so many programmes on television these days showing rogue landlords using dodgy practices that it’s a brilliant and easy way to reassure people looking to rent.

“By working with the council I also get a range of support and advice, like being kept up to date with all of the latest changes to legislation, so it’s something I’d definitely recommend all landlords consider joining.”

Landlords who sign up to the voluntary scheme agree to work in line with a code of practice which ensures that tenants can rent with confidence. In return their properties are advertised on the Durham Key Options website – the online portal for social housing – giving them access to a waiting list of potential tenants. They also get access to a tenancy referencing service, receive updates on changes in landlord legislation and can apply to the council’s empty property loan scheme, which has so far provided nearly £1.5 million to bring long-term empty homes back into use across the county.

Cllr Eddie Tomlinson, Cabinet member for strategic housing, said: “Our Landlord Accreditation Scheme is making a real difference in County Durham and we’re delighted to welcome Paul as our 100th member.

“It provides help and support to ensure landlords can offer quality homes but it also gives tenants peace of mind, knowing they’re renting from someone who adheres to a code of practice enforced by the council.”

“With landlords also getting access to our empty homes loan scheme it’s helping to bring hundreds of long term empty properties back into use, improving housing and entire communities across the county.”

Prospective tenants can rent with confidence knowing that the council inspects the properties on offer, that their tenancy is protected by a written agreement and that they may qualify for a deposit guarantee scheme.

Landlords can find out more about the scheme and how to sign up by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/landlordaccreditation

Tenants looking for accredited landlords can find properties at: www.durhamkeyoptions.co.uk.

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