Media Room
Latest News
All the latest news from the Industry and the Visit County Durham Grapevine newsletter.
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 winners announced
9 Jun 2025
VisitEngland has revealed the winners of its VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025, highlighting the very best of England’s outstanding tourism industry. Gold, Silver and Bronze winners have been announced across 17 categories ranging from ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’ and ‘Pub...
Read More about VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 winners announcedDurham promoted through National Walking Month
9 Jun 2025
The annual National Walking Month initiative takes place every May and encourages people to walk more to promote the physical and mental health benefits, and provides destinations with a platform to promote their walking offer. This year’s National Walking Month followed the recent 60th...
Read More about Durham promoted through National Walking MonthVolunteer at Lumiere: Applications open this Volunteers’ Week
6 Jun 2025
Volunteers who help run community events and cultural activities across County Durham are being thanked for their hard work and commitment. Durham County Council is marking Volunteers’ Week, which runs from 2 to 8 June, by hosting a series of celebration events recognising the thousands of...
Read More about Volunteer at Lumiere: Applications open this Volunteers’ WeekMasterChef Champion Dan Merriman partners with Faru for exclusive three-night tasting menu in Durham
4 Jun 2025
Food lovers in the North East are in for a treat! From Thursday 12th June to Saturday 14th June, MasterChef: The Professionals 2024 winner Dan Merriman will join Jake Siddle, head chef and co-founder of Faru, for a limited, collaborative tasting menu at the acclaimed fine dining restaurant in...
Read More about MasterChef Champion Dan Merriman partners with Faru for exclusive three-night tasting menu in DurhamTop TV chef to headline Seaham Food Festival
29 May 2025
TV presenter, chef and culinary author John Torode MBE has been announced as the headline chef at this year’s Seaham Food Festival. The Durham County Council-run festival will be back on Seaham’s coastline on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 August, offering a weekend full of tasty treats from the...
Read More about Top TV chef to headline Seaham Food FestivalRamside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa opens the barn door
27 May 2025
A summer events space at one of the North East’s top hotels has been given a stylish upgrade. Every year Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa near Durham erects a marquee which is used from May to September for weddings. But this time round the award-winning hotel has upped its game – by creating a...
Read More about Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa opens the barn doorCoastal Survey
21 May 2025
Calling all Durham coast businesses, please take 5-10 minutes to complete the Spring/Summer wave of the National Coastal Tourism Academy's (NCTA) business survey. This wave focuses on performance to date in 2025, future bookings and challenges. All recorded data will be anonymised, and the results...
Read More about Coastal SurveyAuckland Palace’s Walled Garden becomes hive of activity
21 May 2025
To mark World Bee Day, 20th May, The Auckland Project has installed a new apiary in the historic 17th-century Walled Garden at Auckland Palace to celebrate the vital role of bees in biodiversity. The installation features three hives, forming part of a wider network of seven hives now buzzing...
Read More about Auckland Palace’s Walled Garden becomes hive of activityAll Change! arrives at The Story
20 May 2025
A new exhibition arrives at The Story next week, exploring the impact of passenger railways on life in the north east. All Change! is part of the nine-month S&DR200 festival, which launched in March and continues across County Durham and the Tees Valley until November 2025, inspired by the...
Read More about All Change! arrives at The StoryDurham Brass Festival announces dates for Streets of Brass Weekend, additional line-up including Radio 4 Loose Ends, Brass Tea Dance, Pet Snake, and Brass Boat Cruises
20 May 2025
Today (15th May), Durham Brass Festival is proud to announce a host of fantastic new additions to the already spectacular lineup for this year’s edition that takes place 13-20 July. In a first for the event, Durham Brass Festival hosts Radio 4 Loose Ends on 16th July. Writer and broadcaster...
Read More about Durham Brass Festival announces dates for Streets of Brass Weekend, additional line-up including Radio 4 Loose Ends, Brass Tea Dance, Pet Snake, and Brass Boat CruisesHighest civic honour awarded to Weardale volunteers
19 May 2025
The highest civic honour in County Durham has been bestowed to one of the founders of the Weardale Museum and volunteers who have helped restore the area’s heritage railway line. David Heatherington and the Weardale Railway Trust have been presented with Chairman’s Medals by Durham County...
Read More about Highest civic honour awarded to Weardale volunteersRead all about it: Seven Stories opens doors to sister site, Two Tales in Durham
15 May 2025
Two Tales is officially open on Durham’s high street with an exciting launch weekend for stakeholders, friends, local families and supporters of Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books beginning this Friday 16 May with a welcome to funders and supporters of the project. Seven...
Read More about Read all about it: Seven Stories opens doors to sister site, Two Tales in DurhamKynren begins work on major show for its time travelling theme park
15 May 2025
Following recent planning approval, development has now begun on one of the flagship experiences within Kynren – The Storied Lands, the UK’s first live-action historical theme park. Set to open in summer 2026 alongside four other monumental shows and immersive experiences, The Lost Feather is...
Read More about Kynren begins work on major show for its time travelling theme parkDurham shortlisted for national group travel award
15 May 2025
Durham has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Group Travel World Awards 2025. The county has been chosen as a finalist by Group Travel Organisers in the Group Travel World Club which is made up of people who have visited and enjoyed their trip so much that they have chosen it as a finalist...
Read More about Durham shortlisted for national group travel awardTourism’s importance to social cohesion and wellbeing highlighted in new research from VisitEngland
15 May 2025
New research published today by VisitEngland demonstrates the positive cultural and social impacts that tourism has on local communities across the UK. The report - ‘The Social Value of Tourism’ – found significantly higher levels of community pride, sense of wellbeing and social cohesion...
Read More about Tourism’s importance to social cohesion and wellbeing highlighted in new research from VisitEngland