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

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Format: 29-12-2023
Format: 30-12-2023
Become more eco-friendly Industry

Become more eco-friendly

9 Feb 2022

If you want to make your business more eco-friendly but are not sure where to start, the National Coastal Tourism Academy has produced a Top Ten list of simple first steps to operating more sustainably. As well as being great for the planet, some of their tips will help save money and help your...

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Tourism Sentiment Report Visit County Durham

Tourism Sentiment Report

9 Feb 2022

The Visit County Durham commissioned Tourism Sentiment report for January is now available, providing valuable insights for the county's tourism businesses. The score measures Durham's ability to generate positive word of mouth about our tourism offer through online conversations. This month, key...

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Make the most of Dark Skies Visit County Durham

Make the most of Dark Skies

9 Feb 2022

Did you know that Durham has some of the darkest skies in mainland Britain and has 12 dark sky discovery sites which provide great, accessible views of the night sky? Visit County Durham is hosting an online business support webinar on Tuesday 8 March 2022 from 10am-12noon to help you understand...

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Great news for Beamish Industry

Great news for Beamish

3 Feb 2022

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North has received a £150,000 grant from the Sir James Knott Trust for the museum's Georgian developments. The Remaking Beamish project includes Georgian industry, including a pottery and blacksmith's, along with overnight accommodation and a drovers' tavern. The...

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Free digital courses Visit County Durham

Free digital courses

3 Feb 2022

New College Durham is delivering a range of free digital qualifications aimed at up skilling employees who live in Durham. The aim is to work closely with local employers to address digital skills gaps that you may have in your workforce. Employees can receive bespoke non-accredited training such...

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Advertising opportunity Visit County Durham

Advertising opportunity

3 Feb 2022

VCD Supplier Partner, Durham OnAir is offering one month FREE advertising online and on DAB Radio across the North East with every on air advertising campaign sold lasting one month or more. Durham OnAir plays to thousands of locals online, and is available to over 380,000 adults in...

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Bid submitted! Visit County Durham

Bid submitted!

3 Feb 2022

Today, Durham has submitted its bid for UK City of Culture 2025. The title would open up a world of opportunity. At the heart of the bid is a year-long programme of arts, culture, sport, science and economics, including spectacular opening and closing events. It's time for Durham to step into the...

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A unique bicentennial Visit County Durham

A unique bicentennial

26 Jan 2022

To mark the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 2025, councils and groups from across the region are working together to drive forward a huge series of events for local people and visitors.  Special steam train journeys, exhibitions, parades and arts and theatre events are...

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New App for Seaham Visit County Durham

New App for Seaham

26 Jan 2022

'Discover Seaham' has been developed as part of the Seaham Townscape Heritage Project, which is supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.  The app allows locals and visitors alike to explore the town's history and heritage in an interactive way. It offers different...

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A Memorable Moment to support the Bid Visit County Durham

A Memorable Moment to support the Bid

26 Jan 2022

As part of County Durham's bid to be UK City of Culture 2025, a user generated content campaign is asking people to share their special memories of the county from the last 12 months.  Memorable Moments draws upon the fact people have spent a lot more time reconnecting with their local area...

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Omicron one-off hospitality grant Visit County Durham

Omicron one-off hospitality grant

26 Jan 2022

In December, the Government announced the introduction of one-off grant support for hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses in England impacted by the Omicron variant of up to £6,000 per premises.  The grants are available to eligible, trading hospitality, leisure and...

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Rail consultation Visit County Durham

Rail consultation

19 Jan 2022

Great British Railways (GBR) is a new public body set up by government that will run and plan the rail network, own the infrastructure, procure passenger services and set most fares and timetables. To inform the Strategic Plan, GBR has issued a call for evidence, seeking to consider the...

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Durham Pocket Guide 2022 Visit County Durham

Durham Pocket Guide 2022

19 Jan 2022

Work is now underway in conjunction with our publishing partner, Offstone, to create the 2022 edition of the Durham Pocket Guide, with Visit County Durham partners able to benefit from exclusive discounted rates. 125,000 copies will be distributed across the region in early May and will be used as...

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Funding for digital improvement Industry

Funding for digital improvement

19 Jan 2022

Tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses in County Durham are among those who can apply for a share of an almost £1million fund to help them in their recovery from the effects of Covid-19. The Durham Digital Improvement Grant will support businesses to enable the use of and improvement in the...

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Raby branching out with adventure playground in the forest Industry

Raby branching out with adventure playground in the forest

19 Jan 2022

World-class playground designers have started work on an enchanting new children’s adventure play area inside a mysterious forest in Raby Castle’s grounds. The project is part of a wider development, known as The Rising, that promises to attract new visitors to the area and create outstanding...

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