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

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Peace Doves artwork arrives in Durham Cathedral Industry

Peace 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...

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Attractions Survey Results Industry

Attractions 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...

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How's Business Industry

How'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...

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Detailed Access Guides  Industry

Detailed 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...

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Kynren claims TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2024 Industry

Kynren 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...

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Beamish brings museum experience to Durham city centre in pop-up emporium Industry

Beamish 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...

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The Bowes Museum’s Kith and Kinship: Norman Cornish and LS Lowry exhibition Industry

The 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...

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Green Tourism opportunity Industry

Green 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...

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Kynren kicks off summer season with a successful preview night Industry

Kynren kicks off summer season with a successful preview night

16 Jul 2024

In eager anticipation of the start of its summer season, Kynren – An Epic Tale of England hosted its preview night, inviting friends and family of the 1,000 strong cast and crew to witness the magic in Bishop Auckland. Performing to a crowd in the 8,000-seater tribune, Kynren’s ensemble brought...

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Beamish named region’s most visited attraction and among top nationally Industry

Beamish named region’s most visited attraction and among top nationally

15 Jul 2024

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North has been named the North East’s most visited attraction and among the top in the country, in a new VisitEngland report. The museum’s visitor numbers increased to 801,756 in 2023, making it top in the region and the 17th most visited paid-for attraction...

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Curtain comes down on Durham Brass Festival 2024 Industry

Curtain comes down on Durham Brass Festival 2024

15 Jul 2024

World Heritage Site Durham Cathedral, care homes, schools, market places, parks and all manner of other venues. All have resonated with the joyous sounds of live music, singing, chat and laughter; and witnessed dancing aplenty and smiles galore. Over the course of a week, Durham Brass Festival 2024...

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Auckland Castle, Auckland Tower and Faith Museum named amongst best buildings in the UK Industry

Auckland Castle, Auckland Tower and Faith Museum named amongst best buildings in the UK

15 Jul 2024

Auckland Castle, Auckland Tower and the Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, have been named amongst the UK’s best new buildings in this year’s RIBA National Awards. The RIBA’s awards programme recognises the UK’s best new architecture and 26 winners have been selected for 2024,...

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Viking invasion hits Bishop Auckland ahead of Kynren 2024 show Industry

Viking invasion hits Bishop Auckland ahead of Kynren 2024 show

12 Jul 2024

Full of sparks, sword fights and sheep, Kynren’s cast and crew is putting together the finishing touches at its pre-show entertainment experience for its 2024 season. Audiences at this year’s Kynren in County Durham will encounter Return of The Vikings, a new experience featuring an authentic...

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Locomotion will host a spectacular six-week summer festival, including a four-week visit from iconic locomotive Flying Scotsman. Industry

Locomotion will host a spectacular six-week summer festival, including a four-week visit from iconic locomotive Flying Scotsman.

12 Jul 2024

Locomotion will host a spectacular six-week summer festival, including a four-week visit from iconic locomotive Flying Scotsman.    Summer at Locomotion will take place from 20 July to 1 September, with Flying Scotsman in residence from 20 July to 18 August.   Flying...

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1950s cinema and shops now open at Beamish Museum Industry

1950s cinema and shops now open at Beamish Museum

8 Jul 2024

A 1950s cinema, toy shop, electrical shop and record store have opened to visitors at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North today (6th July). The new 1950s Town exhibits include a recreation of the Grand cinema, from Ryhope, in Sunderland; a toy shop named after Romer Parrish in Middlesbrough; A...

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