Arenas, art and ambitions

Good morning, Durham! Hope you had an enjoyable Bank Holiday Monday!

In this week’s Durham Scoop:

• Why the Durham Arena would be a boon for Co Durham

• How Durham voted in the NE mayoral elections

• Prince William visits Seaham

• Co Durham teenager opens up New York show for music mogul

• Girtin and Turner’s artistic duel over Durham Cathedral

• Paloma Faith plays Globe Theatre

• Business news

• And much more!

Let’s get to it.

— Stephen

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DURHAM ARENA

Why the ‘Durham Arena’ would be a boon for County Durham

A transformative 15,000-seat arena and entertainment complex has been proposed near Dalton Park, poised to enhance County Durham as a cultural powerhouse in the North East.

Dubbed the 'Durham Arena,' this development would bring a world-class music venue alongside amenities like a roller rink, swimming pool, bowling alley, 20,000 sq ft gym, climbing walls and dance academy.

If given the green light, it promises over 1,000 new jobs, a boost to Durham's entertainment scene, infrastructure upgrades, and outstanding facilities for community use.

Our latest piece outlines the numerous benefits this development could bring - from significant job creation and business opportunities to a resurgence in local culture and community engagement.

Learn why we think stakeholders across the region must support this transformative project.

Read the full article.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

📸 Krystal Tara | 📍 Durham river

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

WEATHER

A bit of a damp start to the week, but it’ll improve slightly as the days go by. Little sunshine but at least it’s getting warmer.

• Tuesday, 7th: 15°C 🌡️ 7°C. Overcast ☁️

• Wednesday, 8th: 18°C 🌡️ 10°C. Overcast ☁️

• Thursday, 9th: 19°C 🌡️ 11°C. Cloudy ☁️

• Friday, 10th: 19°C 🌡️ 10°C. Cloudy ☁️

NORTH EAST MAYOR

County Durham votes Kim McGuinness as North East mayor

The results are in and the North East now has its first North East mayor in Labour’s Kim McGuinness.

County Durham voted most favourable to McGuinness with 41% of the vote. For contrast, South Tyneside was the least favourable to the Labour candidate with 36.2%.

The County Durham results were:

• Kim McGuinness (Labour) - 43,084

• Jamie Driscoll (Independent) - 25,074

• Guy Renner-Thompson (Conservative) - 11,627

• Paul Donaghy (Reform) - 9,679

• Aidan King (Lib Dem) - 3,907

• Andrew Gray (Green) - 2,396

With a turnout of 96,194 people, only 24.7% of the eligible County Durham public voted.

Data provided by the Institute for Government.

ROYAL VISIT

Prince William visits Seaham

Last Tuesday, Prince William visited the North East to undertake two official engagements, one of which was in County Durham.

The Prince of Wales visited Low Carbon Materials (LCM) in Seaham - a firm which has been nominated for the Prince's Earthshot prize.

The Prince is the founder and president of The Earthshot Prize, and visited LCM's lab and warehouse, where he found out how they make their cutting-edge, carbon-negative products.

CEO of the firm, Dr Natasha Boulding, told him about the impact that being nominated for the prize has had on the company.

LCM was founded by three Material Science PhD students from Durham University with the vision of becoming a world leader in low-carbon and environmentally friendly construction materials.

THE DIGEST

🚴‍♀️ New £2.5 million boost for Durham walkers and cyclists: In a move to bolster Durham’s green transport scene, a new £2.5 million walking and cycling corridor is to open connecting education, shopping, and living spaces in the north of the city. Durham County Council, with funding from Active Travel England, is set to revamp the 2.5km stretch linking the Arnison Centre and New College Durham. (link)

🎭 Tickets to the Durham Fringe are now on sale: The Durham Fringe Festival is on 24 - 28 July and tickets are now on sale. Whether you like comedy, dance, theatre or music, the Fringe has got the show for you. (link)

🏮 Luxmuralis is returning to Durham Cathedral: From 11 - 15 October, visitors will be able to experience stunning light projections of galaxies and see original footage of a rocket launch, all with immersive soundscapes throughout Durham Cathedral. Tickets are now on sale. (link)

🎤 County Durham teenager opens up New York show for music mogul: Peterlee’s Courtney Hadwin had an evening she’ll never forget when she joined a host of music icons at a special concert in New York, having been handpicked to open the show by world-renowned producer Clive Davis. Davis is responsible for shooting both Whitney Houston and Barry Manilow to global fame. (link)

🌊 Girtin and Turner’s artistic duel over Durham Cathedral: Here’s a tale of two seminal artists (the rockstars of their day) and rivals who each painted Durham Cathedral from the River Wear within one year of each other. A view we’re still lucky to have to this day. (link)

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

Properties in County Durham borders that recently came to market.

Mole Hill Farm, Beamish

Mole Hill Farm is a breathtaking country house located in the serene setting of Beamish. Built just seven years ago, this residence spans three floors and is set on 16 acres, featuring bespoke interiors with underfloor heating, a surround sound system, and a high-spec kitchen.

The property boasts expansive equestrian facilities, including a stable block with 16 boxes, a barn, and an outdoor arena, perfect for horse enthusiasts. Additional highlights include breathtaking countryside views, a two-bedroom holiday cottage available via separate negotiation, and an inviting garden room that overlooks sweeping lawns and a large pond, creating an idyllic rural retreat within easy distance.

Check the listing to see the price.

EVENTS

What’s happening this week

Music

🎤 Paloma Faith. Saturday 11th, 7 pm: Flamboyant and soulful English pop/ jazz singer, songwriter and sometime actress. She has been nominated for a Brit award on four occasions - once in 2011, twice in 2013, and once in 2015 when she won the main "British Female Solo Artist" award. At Globe Theatre. Tickets.

Screening

🏥 Nye. Wednesday 8th, 7 pm: Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS. A new play by Tim Rice At Durham Gala. Tickets.

Art

🎨 The Last Cage Down. From May - October. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the 1984 miners’ strike, The Last Cage Down is a special exhibition chronicling the decline of the mining industry and the range of emotions - anger, despair, resignation, worry and loss - felt by many. At The Auckland Project. Tickets

BUSINESS NEWS

📡 Growing tech firm chooses Durham for new site: RFID company, PervasID, which originally spun out of Cambridge University and now works with some of the world's largest retailers, has chosen Durham as the location of its new office. (link)

⛏️ Plans submitted for County Durham lithium extraction plant: Plans for a lithium extraction plant in Eastgate, Weardale could create up to 125 new jobs and deliver a £1bn economic boost to the region, the company behind the plan says. Weardale Lithium Limited has submitted a planning application to Durham County Council for the phased construction of a lithium extraction plant on the site of former cement works near Stanhope. (link)

🦪 Durham City’s Mitchellin-recommended restaurant up for industry award: Faru, which launched last year based on Silver Street, has been shortlisted for Best Newcomer at The Caterer magazine’s ‘The Cateys’ taking place in Mayfair, London on 2 July. (link)

Coincidentally, the Good Food Guide recently reviewed Faru calling it a “top class experience”.

HOW DID WE DO?

THANKS!

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