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Durham in devolution
Plus poll results, 150 food traders confirmed for festival, young gardener wins prestigious award and more.
Stephen
April 15, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
Good morning, Durham! It’s World Heritage Day on Thursday and Durham has a lot to celebrate.
In this week’s Durham Scoop:
What the North East devolution deal means for Durham
Results of last week’s poll on Sunderland
150 traders confirmed for food festival
Young Co Durham gardener wins prestigious award
Business news
And much more!
Let’s get to it.
— Stephen
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
📸 Ian Sanderson | 📍 Durham Cathedral
NORTH EAST DEVOLUTION
What the North East devolution deal means for Durham
This week we’ve done a deep dive into the transformative changes on the horizon for Durham and the wider North East region, with our feature: What the North East Devolution deal means for Durham.
As Durham stands at the cusp of a pivotal moment, the upcoming North East Devolution deal heralds a new era of local governance and empowerment.
From the election of the region's first mayor to a £4.2 billion investment in our future, this piece unpacks the myriad ways our daily lives, from the streets to our schools, are set to evolve.
We’ve attempted to cover the intricacies of the deal, presenting an unbiased exploration of its potential to revitalise the local economy, enhance public services, and bring decision-making closer to home.
We’ve intentionally refrained from recommending any candidates for the mayoral role (or indeed mentioning them!) choosing to instead focus on what it could mean.
It’s a conversation starter, a thought-provoker, and perhaps, a glimpse into the future of our region. Click to read more.
WEATHER
Temperatures are gently nudging upwards this week and there’s a promise of brief sunny spells peeking through, especially as the week winds down. Perfect for those mid-week strolls or a brisk walk after work, just keep your sunglasses handy for those occasional gleams of sunshine.
Monday, 15th: 10°C 🌡️ 5°C. Light showers changing to sunny intervals by late morning 🌦️ ➡️ 🌤️
Tuesday, 16th: 11°C 🌡️ 3°C. Overcast changing to sunny intervals by early evening ☁️ ➡️ 🌤️
Wednesday, 17th: 10°C 🌡️ 4°C. Cloudy ☁️
Thursday, 18th: 12°C 🌡️ 6°C. Cloudy ☁️
Friday, 19th: 13°C 🌡️ 6°C. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by early evening ☁️ ➡️ 🌤️
READER POLL
Last week’s poll: Should Sunderland be absorbed back into County Durham?
Last week we ran a poll asking you if Sunderland should be part of County Durham again based on an impassioned article by Tony Gillen in the Sunderland Echo. Here are the results:
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes. It will right a historical wrong (42)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ No. It should stay part of Tyne and Wear (12)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Unsure. (1)
Some sample responses included (we did not receive any for the No respondents):
“I like my Durham heritage, I was born in Houghton le Spring, County Durham but then someone came up with the idea of Tyne & Wear. As soon as I was old enough I moved across the ‘border’ and bought a house in Durham, County Durham, so good they named it twice.”
“Tyne and Wear means nothing to anybody. It is two rivers the Tyne in Northumberland and the Wear in Durham. Sunderland is in County Durham as far as the people who live there are concerned no matter what the so called planners say.”
“Sunderland should never have been taken out of County Durham and re-joining the county will give a boost to both, historically as well as bringing the county back together as together we are stronger!”
“I still consider myself as belonging to Durham.“
“Geographically makes sense as well as historically.”
THE DIGEST
🌮 More than 150 traders confirmed for Bishop Auckland Food Festival: Curries, crepes, cocktails and mocktails will be among the mouthwatering delights on offer at next weekend’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Durham County Council has confirmed more than 150 traders from County Durham and beyond will be taking stalls at the event on 20 and 21 April. (link)
🚜 Bishop Auckland tractor run to be held for girl with cancer: A tractor run will be held next month to raise money for children with cancer on behalf of a young girl who was diagnosed last year. Five-year-old Willow Hicks, from Bishop Auckland, was diagnosed with a stage four Wilms’ tumour in August last year. On her behalf, a tractor run is being staged through the County Durham countryside to raise funds for Children’s Cancer North. (link)
👩🌾 Young Co Durham gardener wins prestigious award for third time: A talented young gardener working at The Auckland Project has won Young Horticulturist of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture for the third year running. Lucy Whitehead was awarded the accolade and will represent the ‘Northern’ category at the national grand final on 9 May. (link)
👽 Durham scientists spearhead search for extraterrestrial life: Durham University's pioneering researchers are leading the charge in a thrilling interplanetary investigation, utilising sophisticated artificial intelligence to discover potential cave entrances on Mars. This groundbreaking study, published in the journal Icarus, may significantly impact the search for extraterrestrial life and future Mars missions. (link)
PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
Properties in Co Durham borders that recently came to market.
The Village, Brancepeth, DH7
(Image: Rightmove)
Terraced | Bed: 4 | Bath: 3 |
This stone-built, four-bedroom residence, brimming with charm and character. Steeped in history, this Grade II listed property dates back to around 1760 and has undergone meticulous modernisation and enhancements by its current owners.
EVENTS
What’s happening this week
Music
🕺 The Magic of Motown. Friday 19th, 6:30 pm: Celebrate the sound of a generation with one very special night of The Magic of Motown. Seen by over a million people and now in its 19th year, it includes all the Motown classics from artists such as Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, and more. At Durham Cathedral. Tickets.
Food
🍜 Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st, 7 pm: Get ready for a weekend of incredible celebrity chef demonstrations, regional food & drink traders & local entertainers. Celebrity guests include Henry Firth & Ian Theasby of BOSH TV, TV chef and author Marcus Bean, Bake Off finalist, Dan Hunter, Meliz Berg, Cyrus Todiwala and many more. At Bishop Auckland. More info.
Local culture
⛸️ The Durham Ice Rink Project. Starts 19th April. This exhibition brings together the community spirit, passion and heritage of Durham Ice Rink. Opened in the 1930s, Durham Ice Rink proved a huge success until its closure in 1996. At Durham Sixth Form Centre. More info.
BUSINESS NEWS
🏦 Atom Bank launches fund to help higher education access: Durham-based Atom Bank has launched a new fund to help sixth form students from low-income backgrounds or in the care system to apply to Russell Group universities. The Atom Futures Fund has been launched in partnership with the County Durham Community Foundation to break down some barriers preventing young people from reaching their full potential. (link)
🤝 UMi snaps up innovation support organisation: Durham-based UMi Holdings has acquired Sunderland-based SuperNetwork in a move which will enhance the opportunities for businesses and stakeholders across the UK. SuperNetwork has helped more than 1,700 businesses by simplifying and improving access to finance and support. (link)
🚗 Sniperley Park and Ride expansion work to begin: The £2 million expansion beginning on 15 April is funded by the government's Transforming Cities Fund and aims to increase the site's capacity from 326 to almost 600 parking spaces, including standard, disabled, electric charging, and motorhome bays. (link)
🏠 Expanding care group acquires County Durham site: A 34-bedroom care home near Seaham has been acquired by a growing care group. Lenore Care has snapped up Melbury House Care Home in the village of Dawdon from owners Robert and Susan Roney for an undisclosed sum. (link)
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THANKS!
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