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Durham County Council has commissioned the Durham Explorer to run on weekends and bank holidays between 23 May and 31 August this year.

Each service will connect Durham City to a range of visitor destinations including Locomotion; Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens; Beamish, The Living Museum of the North; The Auckland Project; Raby Castle, Park and Gardens; The Bowes Museum; and High Force Waterfall; with many venues also offering discounts to those who arrive by bus.

The services have been funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, to help make bus travel more affordable and attractive for both local people and visitors. The Mayor’s Fares will apply with a single adult journey costing just £2.50 and people aged 21 and under travelling for £1.

Cllr Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, high streets, tourism and regeneration, said: “We can’t wait to see these three new routes up and running, helping people to explore more of what our fabulous county has to offer. Whether it’s historic market towns, peaceful countryside or top visitor destinations, all can be easily accessed through these services.

“It’s a great option for residents looking for family days out and we also hope it will attract more visitors to the county, who will stay for longer to explore the area’s many attractions. This will no doubt help to supercharge our economy and encourage repeat visits to both County Durham and the wider north east.”

The new Durham Explorer buses which will be operated by Northstar are:

• The Durham Dales Explorer (873) which runs from Durham City to The Auckland Project; Raby Castle, Park and Gardens; Barnard Castle; The Bowes Museum and High Force Waterfall.
• The Time Traveller line (874) from Durham City to Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens; and Beamish, the Living Museum of the North.
• The Tracks Through Time line (875) from Durham City to Shildon and Locomotion.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “County Durham has so much to offer, from brilliant attractions to stunning countryside, and these new bus routes make it easier for people to enjoy great days out without needing to rely on a car.

“I’m delighted we at the strategic mayoral authority have been able to fund them, helping more families, residents and visitors explore what our region has to offer, support local tourism and enjoy simpler travel by bus.”

Bethany Jackson, head of audiences at Ushaw, said: “At Ushaw, we’re delighted to be part of the new The Time Traveller line bus route. Improving sustainable and accessible travel is incredibly important to us, and this new service creates more opportunities for local residents and visitors alike to discover everything our historic estate offers, including our house, chapels, gardens, exhibitions and vibrant events programme.

“We look forward to welcoming even more people to Ushaw this summer and to working alongside other fantastic attractions across County Durham to showcase the very best of our region.”

All buses have accessible access, with dogs also allowed on board.

An adult day ticket is also available in County Durham for £6, allowing unlimited bus travel, while passengers can also purchase a regionwide adult day ticket for bus and Metro travel for £7.50. A regionwide day ticket for young people costs £3.

Children under 11 can also travel without charge during the school holidays as part of the Kids Go Free initiative, offering travel at no cost for up to three children when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket or a concessionary pass holder.

For more information, visit www.durham.gov.uk/CountyDurhamByBus.

For more information on discounts to regional attractions through the North East Combined Authority’s Days Out by Bus scheme.

Set to open this summer, The Light represents a major investment in creativity, culture and community. It will bring together art, history and science in exciting ways, providing a welcoming and engaging space where visitors will experience internationally significant exhibitions, created in partnership with leading national and global institutions. A Durham County Council venue, it will be a place for creativity and innovation to thrive, communities to gather, and artists to collaborate.

This week, the building, which was once home to the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum and Durham Art Gallery, was handed back to the council, following its transformation into a multipurpose cultural space.

Over the last two years, construction firm Willmott Dixon has undertaken significant works to the original building, which has been stripped down to its basic structure and almost completely rebuilt. As a result, the venue is now capable of staging world class exhibitions.

Its links to military history, meanwhile, will be retained through a dedicated DLI gallery telling the story of the ‘Durhams’ through objects, documents and film footage from the DLI Collection.

Cllr Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street, said: “It’s been fantastic to witness the transformation of this building into a venue that will not only provide enriching experiences for our residents, but will attract tens of thousands of visitors each year, strengthening the county’s tourism offer and boosting our economy.

“With construction now complete, we can begin to kit out the building’s interior. This will include establishing a permanent DLI gallery to help bring our region’s proud military history to new audiences.

“We will also be installing our first temporary exhibition, which will be the first of many showcasing world class creativity from the North East, the UK, and across the globe. Light art will play a prominent role, inspired by County Durham’s deep-rooted connection to light – from the creation of Bede’s lunar calendar 1,300 years ago and Joseph Swan’s pioneering lightbulb, to Durham University’s involvement in the James Webb Space Telescope. We are excited that we will be able to share more details about this landmark exhibition soon.”

More than just an exhibition space, The Light has also been designed to include facilities for hosting private events and conferences. A ground floor café, meanwhile, will provide a place for visitors and passers-by to stop for refreshments. Set within beautiful natural grounds, The Light also offers outdoor space for visitors to explore, play and enjoy, alongside quieter areas designed for reflection.

The Light’s location, at the heart of Aykley Heads, will also make the venue an anchor institution of Durham’s Innovation District. Acting as a meeting place and a creative hub, it will support the game-changing ambitions of the new district and play a key part in the sustainable growth of the site.

And, as a sister venue to The Story, which provides the permanent home to the DLI Collection, it will work alongside attractions across the county to support a visitor offer that celebrates County Durham’s heritage and highlights its ambition.

The Light will employ around 18 members of staff, along with opportunities throughout the year for placements, residence schemes, volunteering and fixed term paid employment.

Find out about career opportunities at The Light.

The event, which took place on Wednesday, 29 April, brought together ambassadors committed to sharing the Durham Story, in an exciting new ‘Team Durham’ approach to raising the county’s profile and appeal with key audiences for economic success.  

A key focus of the event was some of the exciting developments and projects taking place across the county, hearing first-hand from speakers who are leading them, and and sharing insight into their work and how collaboration is key to driving success across the county.  

Lisa Mullen, Interim Cluster Manager at Space North East England, opened the session by highlighting the region’s rapidly growing space sector. Based at NETPark, a leading science park based at Sedgefield, the initiative is bringing together businesses, academia and institutions to drive innovation and collaboration. Lisa’s presentation demonstrated how the county is playing a key role in the UK’s space ambitions, creating high-value jobs and positioning the region as a centre for cutting-edge research and development.  

Next, Michelle Gorman, Managing Director at Visit County Durham, shared insight into the strength and evolution of the county’s visitor economy. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Visit County Durham continues to lead on destination management and is recognised as one of the first Local Visitor Economy Partnerships accredited by VisitEngland. Her update highlighted the importance of partnership working, strong storytelling and strategic promotion, which has resulted in the value of the county’s visitor economy doubling since the inception of Visit County Durham in 2006.  

The final speaker, Anna Warnecke, Chief Executive Officer at 11Arches, inspired attendees with an update on the future of cultural attractions in Bishop Auckland. Having played a key role in the success of Kynren, Anna shared an update on Kynren: The Storied Lands, a bold and ambitious new day park set to be unlike anything else in the UK. Her presentation reinforced the role of culture-led regeneration and communities in transforming places and driving long-term economic impact.  

Shaun Hope, Principal & Chief Executive of Bishop Auckland college hosted the event and said: What really stands out from today’s meeting is the passion people have for the county. From space innovation at NETPark to world-class culture in Bishop Auckland, there’s so much happening here and when we come together as Durham Champions, we can amplify that story even further. It’s all about collaboration – working together for the prosperity of the place, which in turn will create further opportunities for our residents and young people, and build pride in the place they call home.” The Durham Champions programme places people at its heart, empowering stakeholders from across sectors to become advocates for the county. As the session closed, attendees were encouraged to continue spreading the word, using #OurDurhamStory on social channels, to help further build the county’s image, identity and reputation as a great place to live, work, invest, visit and study.  

The next Durham Champions meeting will take place in July, with further details to be announced soon.  

Register as a Durham Champion and sign up for the Durham Story e-newsletter.