Archives and eats

Good morning, Durham! And a Happy World Bee Week.

In this week’s Durham Scoop:

• Durham Uni climbs to sixth in UK rankings

• TV chefs to star at Seaham Food Festival

• New woodlands revitalise Durham's green spaces

• History centre to open

• Durham Ice Rink exhibition

• Business news

• And much more!

Let’s get to it.

— Stephen

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EDUCATION

Durham University tops North East, climbs to sixth in UK rankings

Durham University has been named the best in the North East and the sixth best in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2025, improving from eighth place last year.

In the North East, Durham leads the regional pack, which includes Newcastle University, Northumbria University, the University of Sunderland, and Teesside University.

Nationally, Newcastle is 26th, Northumbria 34th, Sunderland 72nd, and Teesside 100th. The University of Cambridge tops the list, with Oxford and the London School of Economics following closely behind.

The Complete University Guide rankings, released annually, help prospective students choose the right university. This year's guide includes subject-specific tables and highlights key factors like job prospects, staff-to-student ratios, and teaching quality.

Durham University's rise in the rankings highlights its commitment to excellence and its status as a leading institution in the UK and recognised globally.

THE DIGEST

🌮 Popular TV chefs to star at Seaham Food Festival: This year’s line-up to the Seaham Food Festival is already taking shape with the announcement of popular TV chefs Rosemary Shrager and Phil Vickery set to showcase their culinary talents. Join the event, which takes place on 3 and 4 August, to enjoy incredible food and soak up the seaside atmosphere. [link]

🌳 New woodlands revitalise Durham's green spaces: Durham County Council says it has successfully created new woodlands covering an area equivalent to Durham's city centre through the four-year Durham Woodland Revival project. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the £820k initiative reconnected forest networks in populated areas, engaged hundreds in tree-planting events, and supported local landowners. [link]

📜 History centre with six miles of archive set to open after huge effort: The much-anticipated history and archive centre, The Story at Mount Oswald, in Durham City, is set to open its doors on 14 June. This state-of-the-art facility will house an impressive six miles of archives, making it a substantial resource for historical research and preservation in the region. [link]

⛲️ Walled Garden at Auckland Castle to open next week: The Auckland Project's Walled Garden at Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland will open to the public on Saturday 25 May following an extensive re-development just in time for summer. The project consists of the castle’s Walled Garden, Faith Garden, Broadwalk, Wilderness Garden and a new Victorian-inspired glasshouse, which lies in the upper half of the Walled Garden. [link]

🏆 Beamish Museum Wins Visitor Welcome Award: Beamish Museum has won the prestigious Visitor Welcome Award at the National Museums + Heritage Awards. This honour highlights the outstanding warm welcome and visitor experience provided by the dedicated staff and volunteers at the museum. Congratulations to all winners and finalists for their remarkable achievements. [link]

🎬 ITV Vera cast spotted filming in Co Durham as final ever series gets underway: The crew who produce ITV's long-running detective drama Vera were spotted along the County Durham coast this week filming for the shows final ever season. ITV descended upon Seaham last week filming new scenes for the final ever 14th season of Vera starring Brenda Blethyn. [link]

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

📸 Beamish Museum | 📍 Beamish Museum

Tag us on Instagram or Facebook with your brilliant photos of Durham to get in the Scoop!

WEATHER

Weather provided by the Met Office

Prepare for a mix of sun and clouds, with some rain midweek.

• Monday, 20th: 16°C 🌡️ 7°C. Overcast changing to sunny

• Tuesday, 21st: 17°C 🌡️ 11°C. Sunny changing to cloudy

• Wednesday, 22nd: 17°C 🌡️ 11°C. Overcast changing to light rain

• Thursday, 23rd: 16°C 🌡️ 10°C. Light rain changing to cloudy

• Friday, 24th: 17°C 🌡️ 9°C. Sunny intervals changing to cloudy

HISTORY

Echoes on Ice: Durham’s ice rink lives on in community exhibition

Durham’s much-loved ice rink may have long gone, but the memories remain vivid.

In our latest piece, Andy Potts covers the recent Durham Ice Rink exhibition curated by Lewis Hobson and how it rekindled the community’s nostalgia, showcasing artefacts and memories from the rink’s heyday.

From hand-made scrapbooks to long-lost Wasps trophies, this grassroots initiative has drawn crowds, unearthing poignant stories and fostering a sense of community.

Although the exhibition ended on Friday, you can relive the magic and learn more about the upcoming documentary capturing these cherished memories.

Read more on our site.

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

Properties in Co Durham borders that recently came to market.

Jubilee House, Ebchester

This charming Grade II listed three-bedroom home in Ebchester blends period features with modern amenities, including exposed beams, sash windows, and original oak flooring.

The ground floor offers a sitting room, a well-equipped kitchen, pantry, and a third bedroom/home office. The living/dining area features a multi-fuel stove and garden views. Upstairs, the master and second bedrooms have built-in storage and a modern bathroom with a separate shower.

The property includes a front cottage garden, a terraced rear garden with fruit trees, vegetable patches, a large patio, and a summer house. Additional features are a double driveway, a detached garage with power, and a log store.

Check the listing to see the price.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Music

🕯️ The Four Seasons and The Lark Ascending by Candlelight. Thursday 23rd, 7:30 pm: Immerse yourself in a magical concert experience by candlelight as the renowned ensemble London Concertante takes centre stage. Featuring a selection of classical gems such as The Marriage of Figaro Overture and the swooping melodies of Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending.’ At Durham Cathedral. Tickets.

Theatre

👻 2:22. A Ghost Story. 21st - 25th, 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm: The new stage phenomenon that has taken the West End by storm now comes to Sunderland Empire. It’s a brilliantly funny and adrenaline-filled night where secrets emerge and ghosts may or may not appear… What do you believe? And do you dare discover the truth? At Sunderland Empire. Tickets.

BUSINESS NEWS

🎯 New phase of NETPark hits major milestone: NETPark has celebrated a significant milestone in the Phase 3 development as the final piece of steelwork was installed at the site. This new phase is set to offer 11 new units and up to 16 hectares of space designated for laboratories, offices, production, and storage. The expansion will generate 1,250 skilled jobs directly, with an additional 2,200 jobs in the supply chain, and is projected to contribute £625 million to the local economy over the next decade. [link]

🚛 Transport firm continues to invest despite challenging market: County Durham-based transport and distribution company, Elddis Transport, which can trace its roots back to the 19th century, has reported another "solid financial performance" in a year where turnover was impacted by challenges in the market, but investment across the business continued. [link]

HOW DID WE DO?

THANKS!

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