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All the latest news from the Industry and the Visit County Durham Grapevine newsletter.

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Women's professional cricket coming to Durham Industry

Women's professional cricket coming to Durham

18 Apr 2024

Following an extensive bidding process Durham Cricket have been awarded a Tier 1 professional women’s team. A restructure of the women’s professional game has seen the England and Wales Cricket Board award 8 counties with professional women’s teams. Durham will be joined by Essex, Hampshire,...

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Major investment in UK peatlands from German environmental association Industry

Major investment in UK peatlands from German environmental association

18 Apr 2024

A significant international collaboration to support peatland restoration in the NorthPennines National Landscape has been announced by German environmentalassociation, the Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). The €1.1 million investment will be used to restore valuable peatlands in...

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How's Business? Industry

How's Business?

18 Apr 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 happening across the visitor economy and to analyse where there are key themes and issues. The results of the survey help form our future activity and to see how we can...

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VE Attractions Survey Industry

VE Attractions Survey

18 Apr 2024

The deadline for completing the VisitEngland annual survey of attractions is 30th April 2024. If you received an invite to participate, please respond as soon as possible. If you'd like an invite, please email annualattractionssurvey@bva-bdrc.com. The survey looks at a number of measures including...

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Four of North East England’s Tourism Trailblazers Announced as Finalists at National Awards Industry

Four of North East England’s Tourism Trailblazers Announced as Finalists at National Awards

15 Apr 2024

A tranquil boat tour business, a luxury hotel, a fine-dining restaurant housed in a 13th century friary and a national park unsung-hero are among the finalists at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence which recognises exceptional visitor economy businesses and individuals from around the...

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More than 150 traders confirmed for Bishop Auckland Food Festival Industry

More than 150 traders confirmed for Bishop Auckland Food Festival

10 Apr 2024

Curries, crepes, cocktails and mocktails will be among the mouthwatering delights on offer at next weekend’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Durham County Council, which organises the festival, has confirmed more than 150 traders from County Durham and beyond will be taking stalls at the event on...

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Specialist markets coming to 11 County Durham centres Industry

Specialist markets coming to 11 County Durham centres

5 Apr 2024

New markets ranging from street food to Christmas markets will be coming to locations across County Durham. Durham County Council has procured specialist social enterprise Baccanalia to organise bespoke markets at 11 centres across the county. Ranging from craft markets, street food, farmers’...

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DDP Update Reminder Industry

DDP Update Reminder

3 Apr 2024

A reminder that the next Destination Development Partnership update is being held online on Thursday 18th April at 8:30am. Hear from Visitor Economy leaders on a range of topics and updates from the programmes being delivered as part of the Destination Development Partnership Pilot. Reserve your...

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Meet the Buyers Industry

Meet the Buyers

3 Apr 2024

Brought to you by Durham Business Growth and in conjunction with Visit County Durham a Meet the Buyers event for the visitor economy and hospitality industry is taking place on Tuesday 21st May 2024 at Hardwick Hall Hotel. Buyers will have the opportunity to meet relevant suppliers based in County...

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Day Visits Survey Results Industry

Day Visits Survey Results

27 Mar 2024

VisitEngland has published the 2023 results for the Great Britain Day Visits Survey. The survey shows that there were one billion day visits in England in 2023, up 8% vs 2022. Tourism spend was also up by 15% on 2022, with £44.4 billion spent in 2023. 

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Durham Pocket Guide 2024 Visit County Durham

Durham Pocket Guide 2024

27 Mar 2024

The Durham Pocket Guide 2024 is now available to pre-order. 125,000 copies will be distributed across the region encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore further. To order copies for your business, email visitor@thisisdurham.com

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Welcome to Durham Visit County Durham

Welcome to Durham

27 Mar 2024

The Welcome to Durham training course gives people practical and immediately usable skills that can make the difference between a visitor being satisfied, and a visitor being made to feel special. Our next Welcome to Durham course is being held at Bishop Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday 24th April...

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Partnership Renewals Visit County Durham

Partnership Renewals

27 Mar 2024

Our VCD Partnership renewal process is underway for 2024-25 and we'd like to say thank you to the many businesses that have renewed already. Please remember to check your spam/junk folder and if you have not received your partnership quote by month end, get in touch via email,...

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Majestic rare breed of horse arrives in County Durham meet Kynren's newest cast member Industry

Majestic rare breed of horse arrives in County Durham meet Kynren's newest cast member

26 Mar 2024

A rare breed of horse that is listed as at-risk with less than 200 left in the world has become the newest cast member in an award-winning outdoor live theatre event. Knutsford Cosmopolitan – a majestic grey shire horse whose nickname is Cosmo – has been welcomed by the volunteer cast and crew...

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Council secures £500,000 for further restoration works at Killhope Lead Mining Museum Industry

Council secures £500,000 for further restoration works at Killhope Lead Mining Museum

26 Mar 2024

Restoration works to “protect the future” of the popular Killhope Lead Mining Museum in Weardale are set to take place throughout this year, thanks to a funding boost. Durham County Council has secured £500,000 from the Government’s Cultural Investment Fund to carry out a series of urgent...

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