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Latest News
All the latest news from the Industry and the Visit County Durham Grapevine newsletter.
Durham Fringe Festival sees record visitor numbers over five days
6 Aug 2024
Durham Fringe Festival 2024, with its distinctive stretch-tent marquee and mobile box office on Palace Green, has drawn to a close with record visitor numbers and record ticket sales. More than 120 volunteers and 90 different artists and companies took part with 250 performances across...
Read More about Durham Fringe Festival sees record visitor numbers over five daysBrits struggling to afford price of foreign holidays turn to UK getaways
5 Aug 2024
Two-thirds of Brits (66%) are struggling to afford the price of a foreign holiday this year and are instead turning to UK getaways this summer, according to new research revealed by TransPennine Express (TPE). The research found that a quarter of Brits (25%) have decided against a holiday abroad...
Read More about Brits struggling to afford price of foreign holidays turn to UK getawaysWave of success for Seaham Food Festival
5 Aug 2024
Thousands took a trip to the seaside to enjoy some fun, sun, and the return of one of the region’s biggest food festivals. People flocked to Seaham Food Festival this weekend for two days of food, family entertainment, and cooking demonstrations from some of the nation’s favourite chefs. The...
Read More about Wave of success for Seaham Food FestivalPublic Art Installation unveiled at Auckland Tower
1 Aug 2024
A major outdoor art installation, inspired by England’s oldest stained-glass windows, has been unveiled on the exterior of Auckland Tower in Bishop Auckland. Following a nationwide and rigorous selection process, the installation has been created by Bristol-based artist and...
Read More about Public Art Installation unveiled at Auckland TowerTourism awards
31 Jul 2024
If you run a tourism, hospitality or leisure business - make sure you're in the running for the Destination North East England Tourism Awards! These prestigious awards celebrate everything from the best pubs and bars in the area to the most accessible, inclusive or sustainable places to visit. The...
Read More about Tourism awardsDisability confident
31 Jul 2024
A new Disability Confident guide has been published by the Department for Work and Pensions, to help business managers recruit, retain and foster the progression of disabled people in the workplace. Find out how to get the most from the Disability Confident scheme, boost disability employment and...
Read More about Disability confidentNorth East England leads the way with Interactive 3D virtual tours &inclusivity training
29 Jul 2024
Visitors heading to some of the region’s top tourist spots can now feel safe, welcomed and included before they even arrive thanks to groundbreaking, interactive 3D photography and pioneering inclusivity training designed to break down barriers to access for everyone. Destination North East...
Read More about North East England leads the way with Interactive 3D virtual tours &inclusivity trainingPeace Doves artwork arrives in Durham Cathedral
26 Jul 2024
Visitors to Durham Cathedral this summer can experience a brand new immersive artwork as a canopy of paper doves is suspended in the cathedral's Nave. Peace Doves, a mass-participation artwork by Peter Walker, has taken centre stage in the Nave of the cathedral today (Friday 26 July). The...
Read More about Peace Doves artwork arrives in Durham CathedralAttractions survey results
24 Jul 2024
VisitEngland has published its 2023 Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions showing that while visits to attractions across England continued to recover last year, they were still significantly down on pre-pandemic levels. Overall visits to attractions in England were up 11% in 2023 compared...
Read More about Attractions survey resultsHow's business
24 Jul 2024
Please spare 10 minutes of your time to complete our latest How's Business survey. The results are important for us to see what is hapenning across the visitor economy and to analyse where there are themes and issues. the results of the survey help inform our future activity and to see how we can...
Read More about How's businessDetailed access guides
24 Jul 2024
Today's travellers want detailed and factual descriptions of venue accessibility, in the form of an Accessibility Guide, to empower them to make personal choices. To support this, VisitEngland is providing discounts to tourism businesses to help them provide quality-assured accessibility...
Read More about Detailed access guidesKynren claims TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2024
23 Jul 2024
Kynren – An Epic Tale of England has been recognised in Tripadvisor’s® Travelers’ Choice® Awards for 2024. The 1,000-strong volunteer cast and crew received news of the accolade following a successful preview night ahead of the summer season of shows, which starts on Saturday...
Read More about Kynren claims TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2024Beamish brings museum experience to Durham city centre in pop-up emporium
19 Jul 2024
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North is bringing a flavour of the award-winning museum to Durham city centre with the opening of a pop-up emporium. The Beamish Emporium, which has opened in the Prince Bishops Place shopping centre, is a pioneering project for the museum. Customers can discover...
Read More about Beamish brings museum experience to Durham city centre in pop-up emporiumThe Bowes Museum’s Kith and Kinship: Norman Cornish and LS Lowry exhibition
18 Jul 2024
Newly discovered Cornish self-portrait will also now feature in this major exhibition by two extraordinary storytellers of everyday life, who showcase the north through different lenses Over 50 paintings, drawings and sketches by artists Norman Cornish and LS Lowry will be showcased at The Bowes...
Read More about The Bowes Museum’s Kith and Kinship: Norman Cornish and LS Lowry exhibitionGreen Tourism opportunity
17 Jul 2024
Boost your business and contribute to the sustainable regeneration of North East England with fully funded Green Tourism membership for the first year and 50% and 25% discounts in the second and third years respectively. The accreditation helps you evidence your sustainability credentials to...
Read More about Green Tourism opportunity