Changing face of Durham
THERE ARE BIG PLANS FOR THE HISTORIC CITY
WALKING through Durham you can’t fail to notice the changing face of the city.
Gone are the concrete structures of the former passport office and the dated Gates shopping precinct which lined the river Wear.
Although demolition work is ongoing, the eyesores are set to be transformed into ultra-trendy leisure destinations.
With two cinemas, half a dozen bars and restaurants announced, the riverside area will be transformed by 2019.
Three major projects across the city represent a whopping £195m of investment.
WHERE ARE THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS?
The biggest project is the Milburngate redevelopment which will see £150m invested in Durham’s newly styled Northern Quarter. Next to the river Wear, the area was home to the old passport office. In its place new luxury apartments, offices and bars and restaurants will be built.
Just on the other side of the A690, the former Gates shopping centre off North Road is to be transformed into a new cinema and restaurants and will be relaunched as Riverwalk at a cost of £30m.
Away from the river Wear, the Grade II listed Old Shire Hall on Old Elvet is set to be transformed into a Hotel Indigo complete with a 150-cover Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill for £15m.
WHERE WILL THERE BE TO EAT OUT?
The developments will bring a huge range of choice for Wearside foodies.
The fancy Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill is set to open in Autumn 2017.
Family-run restaurant Handmade Burger Co will open at Riverwalk in Summer 2018 along with the Caribbean restaurant Turtle Bay. Thai restaurant, Thai River, will open later this year on the water front.
WHAT ABOUT DRINKS?
Pitcher and Piano will be the central venue at the Milburngate development and will be the perfect spot for a cocktail.
The two-storey glass fronted building will take in views of Durham’s castle and Cathedral.
It is hoped that the bar will set the tone for the area, like the Tyneside Pitcher and Piano does for the Newcastle Quayside.
WHAT ELSE WILL THERE BE?
Two cinemas are set to open in the city. A boutique Everyman Cinema will open at the Milburngate development while a six-screen Odeon cinema is planned for Riverwalk.
More bars and restaurants will be announced over the next few months and developers hope to attract new retailers for the Riverwalk development.
SO DURHAM’S GOING TO BE THE PLACE FOR AN EVENING OUT?
Most definitely. From Newcastle and Chester-le-Street it is easy to hop on a train. It takes less than 15 minutes on the train from Newcastle and then just a pleasant five minute walk to the riverside from Durham train station.
The last train from Durham to Newcastle on a Saturday leaves at 11.46pm or 11.34pm midweek. If you miss the train, the N21 night bus runs at half past the hour, every hour, from half past midnight until 4.30am over a weekend.