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Santa’s coming back to town this December

11 November 2022 By leebrownson

This December the Bishop Auckland Town Team are once again bringing Santa back to Bishop Auckland.

Children will be invited to come into the Newgate Shopping Centre on Saturday 10th and Saturday 17th December 2022 between 10am and 3pm.

It’s FREE to see Santa and there’s an opportunity to have your photo taken with him. From just £1, you will receive a 6” x 4” colour photo within just a few minutes!

There will be some festive music and FREE face painting for the children.

You will also have the chance to WIN a luxury Christmas hamper in the ‘Christmas Raffle.

For just £1 a ticket you could win a luxury hamper worth over £100 or one of the runner-up prizes!

Tickets will be available to purchase from the Town Team volunteers at both events and the draw will take place on Saturday 17th December at 3:00pm.

Since 2012, the Bishop Auckland Town Team have brought Santa Claus to town. Over the years hundreds of children have enjoyed having their photos taken with him whilst enjoying some festive music and entertainment.

From 2017 to 2019 in partnership with David and Pam Pott we have delivered Advent Windows. 24 shops and businesses in the town take part in which their windows are decorated by either school children or community groups and revealed throughout the month of December.

This compilation video below shows some of the highlights from over the years.

STACK leisure coming to Bishop Auckland

11 November 2022 By leebrownson

Around 120 jobs will be created when STACK opens in Bishop Auckland.

The new leisure venue will be located at 9-11 Newgate Street and will be a new building set over two floors with a retractable roof.

A number of street food traders will be encouraged to take up residence alongside three bars based around a central plaza area, which will have a stage for live music and entertainment.

The Newcastle firm is now rolling out the popular Brand to County Durham, after last month announcing big expansion plans.

Leisure company Danieli Group has unveiled plans to invest £7m in the creation of two Stack leisure hubs in County Durham.

The Newcastle business behind the hugely successful Newcastle and Seaburn Stack drinking, dining and shopping destinations, plans to create more than 300 at sites in Durham city centre and Bishop Auckland.

The company has submitted a planning application to convert the former Marks & Spencer store at Silver Street, Durham into a Stack sit, while simultaneously unveiling a project at Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, after being appointed a development partner by Durham County Council.

Danieli Group says the significant investment – which follows a recent announcement of a Stack opening in Lincoln – is aimed at delivering a boost to both locations, while also creating employment.

Stack Durham will have seven street food outlets, five bars, a coffee shop, stage, communal seating and a roof top terrace, as well as an interactive gaming room with shuffleboard and darts.

The venue will create around 185 full and part time jobs.

Meanwhile, in Bishop Auckland, the venue will be a new building set over two floors with a retractable roof.

A number of street food traders will be encouraged to take up residence alongside three bars based around a central plaza area, which will have a stage for live music and entertainment. Around 120 jobs will be created.

While the new schemes will be different from the company’s shipping container hubs in both Sunderland and Newcastle, the company said both will reflect the brand aesthetics it has become known for.

Neill Winch, CEO of Danieli Group, said: “Durham is a city with an international reputation for its tourist attractions and history and is home to one of the top universities in the country, bringing in students from around the world. Also, Bishop Auckland is a town where we know we can contribute to local culture, jobs, enterprise, tourism and communities.

“We are in the business of transforming places, and we hope to be a catalyst for transformation in County Durham with a combined investment of more than £7m.

“We believe Stack will be a huge asset in both locations and will also give independent businesses in the area the opportunity to be involved as well as supporting both the day time and night time economy.”

Once work is under way, the firm plans to launch Stack Durham in winter 2023 while work will begin next year on in Bishop Auckland with a view to launching in early 2024.

Coun Elizabeth Scott, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming STACK to both Durham and Bishop Auckland.

“These exciting venues complement our ambitious plans to regenerate the county and attract visitors from far and wide as we shine a spotlight on all that County Durham has to offer. It’s fantastic that both areas have attracted this significant investment. With the plans set to create hundreds of jobs, it will help to boost the local economy.

“Meanwhile, the creation of these unique spaces that offer residents and visitors a combination of food and leisure will also help to revitalise Durham and Bishop Auckland, ensuring they remain attractive to those who live, work in and visit the areas.”

Article featured on business-live.co.uk

Spooky goings on at the Monster Saturday Party

20 October 2022 By leebrownson

This Halloween, Bishop Auckland Town Team invites you to dress up in your scariest costume and join our Monster Saturday Party.

There will be live entertainment including the Sandra Welsh Dance School, Innovations, Steven Berry & Ruth Stapleton.

Fantastic Halloween and spooky music from our great D.J. will ramp up the party atmosphere.

Join our ‘Pumpkin Parade’ led by our very own “Bishop the Boar” and win cash prizes for having the best costume.

We have two (yes 2) fantastic face painters and why not take part in our Monster Hunt around the town which could also win you a cash prize. Click here to download your entry form.

It’s all happening inside the Newgate Shopping Centre on Saturday 29th October between 10.30am and 3.30pm.

BE THERE AND LET”S MONSTER PARTY!!

Have your say on regeneration projects

20 October 2022 By leebrownson

Residents and local people are being invited to have their say on a range of projects aimed at helping to regenerate Bishop Auckland.

Bishop Auckland has secured over £50 million of government funding which will support a number of projects to develop and build a better Bishop Auckland for everyone.

This includes funding from The Stronger Towns Fund and the Future High Street Fund.

Durham County Council are working on the design and delivery of these projects which include:

Market Place improvements
property reuse fund
improvements to shared pedestrian and vehicle spaces along Fore Bondgate
a new hotel in the Market Place Hotel
an artists’ hub
a new use for the Mechanics Institute
improved traffic layout at Tindale Triangle

Have your say on their public consultation, closing date for comments is 11.59pm on 21 November 2022.

In addition to the online survey, a number of drop-in sessions are available for people to attend. Durham County Council representatives will be on hand at these events to explain the proposed projects as well as how they link with the existing programme of improvements that are underway.

These are being held at 43 Newgate Street (old Home Bargains shop) on the following dates:

Friday 4 November, from 9.00am until 12.30pm
Tuesday 8 November, from 1.00pm until 4.30pm
Thursday 10 November, from 9.00am until 12.30pm
Friday 11 November, from 1.00pm until 4.00pm
Tuesday 15 November, from 1.00pm until 4.30pm

For more information visit www.durham.gov.uk

Taking you back to the 1980s

1 September 2022 By leebrownson

CANCELLED – As a mark of respect, following the passing of Her Majesty, The Queen Elizabeth II, the 1980’s event has been cancelled.

This September, the Bishop Auckland Town Team will be taking you back in time to the decade that was the 1980’s.

Enjoy an afternoon of live entertainment and performances from the decade that brought you the mullet hairstyle, the New Romantics and the first ever mobile phone.

You can enjoy live music from Ruth Stapleton and Steven Berry along with special performances from the Sandra Welsh School of Dance, Innovations and the Spectrum Roller Skaters.

There will be FREE face painting for the children so feel free to dress up in your best 80’s costumes, join in the fun and relive one of the best decades!

It’s all happening inside the Newgate Shopping Centre from 12pm till 4pm on Saturday 10th September.

Town Team Anniversary Milestone

28 February 2022 By leebrownson

March 2022 marks the tenth anniversary of the Bishop Auckland Town Team.

The inaugural meeting was arranged by Bishop Auckland Town Council in March 2012 to gather support from anyone who would like to help apply for a bid of up to £100,000 which the government was offering to town and parish councils for a dozen pilot schemes throughout the country.

The funding was provided after the publication of an independent review into the future of high streets, carried out by Mary Portas in 2011.

Tremendous support from the local community enabled the bid to come together with new ideas, new partners and a shared vision to revitalise the town.

An Events Team was established to organise events which could increase footfall into the town centre to help the shops and businesses.

From organising a couple of events initially in 2012, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Torch relay to the success of around 3,000 people attending Bishop Celebrating Together in 2017.

Other popular events have been introduced over the years and have included the Easter Eggstravaganza, Buskers Day, Vintage and Classic Cars, Busses Thru the Ages and Monster Saturday.

Bishop Celebrating Together was an idea brought to the Town Team by blogger, Andrew Corry, who wanted to organise a celebration event for the end of the first Kynren season to recognise the hard work of the volunteers throughout the town.

Andrew met with Lee Brownson of the Town Team and Colin Wilkes of Durham Markets and the Full Moon Street Food Markets and within six weeks the idea transformed into a full weekend event.

The first Bishop Celebrating Together event took place over one September weekend in 2017 and included everything from local singers and performers, children’s entertainment and food stalls with other partners and organisations joining in. It has since become a mainstay and is one of the highlights of the town’s events calendar.

One of the most popular Town Team events is Santa and Christmas Entertainment. Since 2012, they have brought Father Christmas to Bishop Auckland every December. Over three Saturdays, children are invited to see Santa for free with an opportunity to take home a colour photo of their experience.

Additional festive entertainment is also provided to entertain shoppers; from the Sound Waves Community Choir to Innovations and the Salvation Army. In addition, vocalists including Ruth Stapleton, Steven Berry, Charlotte Forman and Jenna Highfield have all sung the Christmas classics.

The quality of events has improved every year, including a change of staging company and local sponsorship, which has helped fund better quality entertainment.

Overall, the Events Team has been successful in organising bigger and more varied events in the last four years, building on the events established in 2012. The original goal of increasing footfall and bring customers to local businesses has been a resounding success.

If you are interested in being part of the Town Team, then simply get in touch by emailing info@bishopaucklandtownteam.org

Hundreds of children have photos with Santa

27 January 2022 By leebrownson

Since 2012, the Bishop Auckland Town Team have brought Santa Claus to Bishop Auckland each December however the event had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Thankfully this year it was great to see hundred of children come to see Santa over the 3 Saturdays inside the Newgate Shopping Centre.

As always it was free for the children to see Santa and there was an opportunity for a 6″ x 4″ colour photo printed straight away.

In addition to Santa there was some festive entertainment from Innovations, Jenna Highfield, Ruth Stapleton and Steven Berry and free face painting for the children.

This year we also gave one lucky shopper the chance to win a luxury Christmas hamper in the ‘Christmas Raffle.’ For just £1 a ticket you could win The luxury hamper was worth over £100 and tickets were just £1 each!

The draw took place on Saturday 18th December and the winner drawn at random was Shannon Brown from Bishop Auckland.

The Bishop Auckland Town Team would like to thank everyone who has supported us and we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Shop Local this December

16 November 2021 By leebrownson

The festive season is almost here and Christmas just around the corner…

Bishop Auckland Town Team is once again supporting and promoting our wonderful independent shops and businesses this December.

Why not support the local shops along Newgate Street, Market Place, Newgate Shopping Centre, Fore Bondgate and the rest of the town centre.

Several shops will be taking part in this scheme by offering you a special offer during the month of December 2021.

Shops taking part this year are:

Gillian Arnold @ 1 Fore Bondgate
Just Like Grandma’s @ 2A Fore Bondgate
Tinkers Treasures @ 50 Fore Bondgate
Bondgate Gallery @ 51 Fore Bondgate
Labyrinth @ 60 Fore Bondgate
Nip & Tuck @ 61 Fore Bondgate
Katie’s Accessories @ Unit 4 Newgate Shopping Centre
Marvellous Toys @ 57 Newgate Street
Pools Surplus Stores @ 59 Newgate Street
Joanne’s Enchanted Emporium @ 86 Newgate Street
Inspiral Cycles @ 137 Newgate Street
Emiley’s @ 142 Newgate Street
Baby & Toddler Kingdom @ 153 Newgate Street

Each participating shop window will display an A3 poster with details of their special offer.

Town Team bringing Santa back to Bishop Auckland

11 November 2021 By leebrownson

The Bishop Auckland Town Team will be putting together a bumper entertainment package to entertain shoppers this December.

Children will be invited to come into the Newgate Shopping Centre and see Santa during the Saturday’s in December (4th, 11th and 18th December) between 10am and 3pm.

It’s FREE to see Santa and there’s an opportunity to have your photo taken with him. From just £1, you will receive a 6” x 4” colour photo within just a few minutes!

There will be some festive music and entertainment from Innovations, Ruth Stapleton, Jenna Highfield and Steven Berry. In addition there will be FREE face painting for the children.

You will also have the chance to WIN this luxury Christmas hamper in the ‘Christmas Raffle.’

For just £1 a ticket you could win a luxury hamper worth over £100! Tickets will be available to purchase from the Town Team volunteers on each Saturday at the events.

The draw will take place on Saturday 18th December at 3:00pm.

Shoppers enjoy Monster Saturday

4 November 2021 By leebrownson

Monster Saturday took place on Saturday 30th October 2021 where shoppers were entertained by Innovations with some spooky dancing and the vocal talents of Ruth Stapleton.

Bishop The Boar led the Pumpkin Parade and then it was down to Dave Wilson (Manager of the Newgate Shopping Centre) to judge the top 3 best dressed costumes.

In addition over 100 people entered the Monster Hunt competition and the winner drawn at random was Elle McKenna who won a £25 gift voucher.

Thank you to everyone who came to support the event and took part.