Darlington Monthly August 21

Darlington’s oldest and widest-distributed community magazine

Main headline: County Durham firms get over £35 million in ‘restart’ funding What’s Inside Issue 90 August 2021

Darlington Monthly is proudly sponsored by:

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Big plans for reviving Northgate

YORKSHIRE LOFT LADDERS

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Film review: Space Jam: A New Legacy FSC approved

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Places to go: Lincoln

We’re doing our part, are you?

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These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in.

The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding and a light all fully fitted in less than a day from just £277 + VAT. But it’s not just the affordability of the package the company offers that makes Yorkshire Loft Ladders stand out as manager Warren Ingleson explains: ‘Our watchwords are Quality,

Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and Value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we got a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers - that simply wouldn’t happen if we didn’t adhere to our overriding principles.

lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’

So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however big or

small, call Warren on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers

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Welcome to the August edition of Darlington Monthly!

What a difference a few months make, eh? From the lows of the winter lockdown, the country is now up and moving again, with all manner of exciting public events taking place – and Darlington is no exception. Flick to our What’s On section on page 32 for the latest listings.

But even if you don’t expect to be attending many events during August, the height of the summer offers plenty to be stimulated by in the town. Why not head to the cinema, for instance? Our copywriter Craig Lenaghan delivers his verdict on Space Jam: A New Legacy on page 18.

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And of course, we’ve got all of the other inspiring and interesting stories for you this month, documenting what’s happening – and set to happen – around Darlington.

That’s it for now – enjoy reading this month’s issue, and we’ll see you again in September!

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Sausage meatball noodle stir-fry

Yorkshire Loft Ladders is the proud sponsor of this month’s Darlington Monthly.

It only takes minutes to make this delicious twist on the traditional stir-fry, with easy-to-make sausage meatballs. The recipe serves one, but can be doubled.

Directions

1/ Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Run a Yorkshire Loft Ladders proudly sponsors this month’s Darlington sharp knife down the centre of the sausages and peel off the skins. Break up the sausage meat and Monthly. put it in a bowl. Finely chop a spring onion and add it to the bowl. Add the ginger, coriander stalks, 1

teaspoon soy sauce, half the garlic and chilli flakes If you’re looking to make improvements to your loft this month, getsesame oil, if using. Mix well. and the Roll the mixture into four large meatballs. Heat a in touch with Yorkshire Loft Ladders. With the renowned local 2/firm’s teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok and cook the meatballs for 5–10 minutes, areas of expertise including loft hatches, ladders, boarding, insulation turning often, or until browned all over and cooked through. Transfer to a baking tray and place in the and lighting, you can depend on them to provide the complete service. oven to keep warm.

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3/ Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions (or bring a pan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.

4/ Thinly slice the remaining two spring onions. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the frying pan and add the remaining garlic and chilli flakes, the sliced spring onions and carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the noodles, beansprouts and remaining soy sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

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5/ Add the meatballs and stir. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves, and more soy sauce if necessary, and serve immediately.

Prep: less than 30 mins

Cook: 10 - 30 mins

Serves 1

handful fresh coriander, leaves picked, stalks chopped 4 tsp dark soy sauce 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 pinches dried chilli flakes 1 tsp sesame oil (optional) 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks 1 nest dried egg noodles handful beansprouts

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Disclaimer...

Whilst we take every care to ensure accuracy in this magazine, we regret that we cannot accept responsibility for any incorrect information. All advertisements are accepted in good faith as to their veracity and we are not responsible for views expressed by contributors or other sources. The copying of any material within this publication is strictly forbidden without the publishers or Studio Managers consent. By providing your email address and entering our competitions you agree to receive email communications from the competition sponsor/prize provider.

Congratulations to last month’s competition winners, all winners have been notified. Winners are selected at random. The provider will only receive the winning entries inContact order to fulfil completion of the prize. Email: sales@darlingtonmonthly.co.uk Tel: 01325 776225 Advertise Darlington Monthly 4 details ofTo

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Darlington Lecture Association Since 1882 we have brought leading speakers to the town to inform and entertain an interested and interesting membership. We are in the premier league of Britain’s lecture societies.

Travel, art, adventure, wildlife, history and much else are on our programmes.

Garden designer Adam Frost and antiques expert Caroline Hawley are television stars who top the bill this year. All eight presentations are illustrated on the big screen.

Monday 6th September 2021

Monday 11th October 2021

Monday 8th November 2021

The season opens on September 6th with Treasures of the Royal Art Collection by former diplomat and Windsor Castle librarian Oliver Everett.

Great Houses of the North and The Miracle of Bird Flight are later lectures.

Meetings are on Mondays at Carmel RC College at 7.30pm. Membership is £25 (students and under 18s £10) and visitors pay £5 (£2). Details on www.darlingtonlecture.org.uk and from 01325 356876, 363350 or dlecture@live.co.uk.

Monday 7th March 2022

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Ambitious masterplan being devised for Northgate Darlington Borough Council has thrown the veil off its initial “ideas” for how the Northgate area of the town could be revived – including proposals to smarten up historic buildings and bolster green space with the introduction of tiny “parklets”.

The first consultation event for the masterplan took place early last month, as the council looks to make the most of the £22 million it has received from the Government’s Towns Fund – with about half of that sum set to be spent on Northgate.

Warnings about the “at risk” conservation area Describing the 15-year project as “ambitious”, Towns Fund manager Chris Mains explained: “Northgate is a conservation area at risk, you can see why it’s at risk just from looking up the road.

“There are a lot of historic buildings that are getting run down. We’re developing a masterplan and today is about getting ideas because this is a long-term plan.

“The Towns Fund can’t deliver it all - £10 million isn’t enough. But it can be a catalyst to get things started.”

He continued: “I think another message is that this is right at the beginning. Council engagement is criticised for not listening to people, but we’re saying these are our ideas, what do you think?

“We can’t deliver them yet – we’re looking at a 15-year project.”

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The council is seeking to enhance the appearance of historic buildings and regenerate the area surrounding the River Skerne, to create a new route to the centre of the town.

Mr Mains said the vision was partly inspired by the Ouseburn area of Newcastle, which has been dramatically transformed in recent years.

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“Think of the way Ouseburn used to be,” he commented.

“In a lot of ways, it’s similar with the river, industrial past, being a bit run down.

“I want to keep that in mind and see if we can work towards something. There’s a lot of opportunity in the whole area at the back, right up the Skerne for lots of uses, not just residential but heritage and culture.”

A range of regeneration ideas presented to the public The ideas that the local authority has so far shown to the public have included the creation of parkingspace-sized green areas called “parklets”, the removal of inappropriate alterations to historic buildings, and bringing the increasingly run-down Northgate House back into use.

With regard to the latter building, Mr Mains said the council would consider using a compulsory purchase order to acquire it, which he described as “one of the options... if someone else comes along with the right development, then that’s another option.”

Northgate councillor Sajna Ali emphasised the importance of any new developments having a positive effect on the area’s residents, stating: “It has to be people before profit... we want things that will benefit the next generation.”

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Linthorpe beds welcomed 4 home interior influencers into their Darlington showroom recently with the task of making over a bed and styling it up for summer. Tilly who runs @tillyattwentysix started her insta blog in early 2020 and was really excited to be involved in the showcase.

“I love styling my home exactly how I want it (#youdoyou) and taking part in this event was great fun! I loved seeing what was available, the store is loads bigger than I thought! “ Gemma @gemmaslittleworld travelled from Birtley to attend and was living her best life jumping on the bed!

She chose green as her main colour and used white linens and palm print cushions. Caroline @athomewiththestokles brought pink and green together to transform a bed into an elegant style. We loved how local artist Alex chose mauve, grey and florals for a cosy look.

Cassie Cooper arranged the visit and said: “We really wanted to create a buzz around our amazing

store now restrictions are easing, and it was brilliant to see how creative the influencers were, they really brought our beds to life! We’d love to invite everyone down to see what we have in store. Our friendly team would love to welcome you and help you create the vision you’re after.They have the expertise you need to find a personalised sleep experience to suit all needs. We also sell furniture and accessories so there is always something new to discover in our sumptuous showroom plus our Summer sale is now on!Look out on our social channels for all of our news, sleep advice and home interior tips and we’ll be looking to host more events like this soon so watch this space!

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Crew Manager Gary Lawson and Firefighters Adam Holmes, Stephen Collinson, Craig Doherty and Ryan Meeson from Middleton-In-Teesdale

Firefighting heroes who rescued elderly woman receive special commendation Firefighters who saved an elderly woman from a residential property fire have won high praise The crew very quickly devised a plan, led by for their heroic actions from County Durham and incident commander Gary Lawson. Firefighters Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

Stephen Collinson and Craig Doherty entered the house in full breathing apparatus to save the A chief fire officer’s commendation was woman. awarded by the service to crew manager Gary Lawson and firefighters Adam Holmes, Stephen Fortunately, they already possessed some Collinson, Craig Doherty and Ryan Meeson from knowledge of the layout, as one of them is Middleton-in-Teesdale. a tradesperson who had visited the house previously.

The on-call firefighters arrived to a fire that was already well-developed in the property, with Their decision to first search upstairs was members of the public confirming an elderly instrumental in saving the woman’s life. woman was trapped inside.

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FILM

REVIEW

Whatever you think about the original Space Jam, that 1997 amalgam of animation and live action where NBA legend Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes characters foil a group of villainous aliens by beating them at basketball, it does hold a certain iconic status in the minds of many Millennials.

About a quarter of a century later, Jordan’s spiritual heir in the NBA, LeBron James, is now the one joining Bugs Bunny and co on the court – and the result is even stranger than you are probably imagining.

Space Jam: A New Legacy plays largely like a visually souped-up version of its predecessor, with many of its faults now amplified. It does, however, have at least some self-awareness. In an Animaniacs-style fictionalised account of LeBron’s dealings with Warner Bros, he meets up with some of the studio’s executives only to reject their suggestion that he co-star in a long list of big-name Warner franchises, including Batman and Game of Thrones. “Athletes acting? That never goes well,” he says.

However, the offer was actually conceived by a sentient AI called Al G Rhythm (played with relish

by Don Cheedle) – who, wounded by LeBron’s words, petulantly retaliates by trapping him and his (also fictionalised) son Dom (Cedric Joe) in the “Server-verse”, a digital realm where hordes of characters from Warner Bros history apparently live. Here, Rhythm kidnaps Dom and insists LeBron has to win a

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virtual basketball game against the “Goon Squad” if he wants to rescue his son.

Before LeBron can do that, though, he must cobble together a basketball team from Server-verse residents sympathetic to his cause. No prizes for guessing who they end up being, but the script – though credited to six different writers – does little genuinely creative, thoughtful or interesting with the Looney Tunes characters. The biggest exception is with Lola Bunny (voiced by Zendaya), who has noticeably deepened in characterisation since the ‘90s and gets an exhilarating early subplot of training with Wonder Woman.

Meanwhile, Bugs and Daffy Duck have a humorous run-in with Superman, and Wile E Coyote pursues the Roadrunner in the apocalyptic world of Mad Max – but the quick succession of franchise mashups like these leaves A New Legacy rather unfocused, like it can’t quite decide what kind of film it wants to be. Is it a Looney Tunes film, a coming-of-age sports film, or essentially a two-hour advert for the illustrious Warner Bros back catalogue? It comes across as a strange, random mix of all three.

This extends to the climactic basketball game itself, where many of the sport’s usual rules are thrown out of the window as the action descends into fantastical chaos. Here, A New Legacy also starts hitting a few too many of the same story beats as the big match in the first Space Jam, with everything resolving itself in a way that should be heartwarming but ultimately lacks the confidence of a real-life LeBron slam dunk.

Craig Lenaghan Copywriter

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Salt Steel Brewing Co. The 17th of May saw the phased reopening of pubs in England – and also a huge relief to Liam Senior, Salt Steel Brewing Co’s managing director.

Liam poured his heart and soul into creating a brew Teessiders could consider theirs, resulting in Strip Tees.

Strip Tees is available at long last, to enjoy at a number of venues in the region. Batch number two is already in the works!

There’s not much that Acklam-based Liam doesn’t know about his passion. Cans of Strip Tees – a West Coast IPA – launched in December last year, shipping around the country, as well as in Teesside. It’s described as a full-flavoured, crisp, refreshing blast of citrus, with grapefruit and pine, floral hop aromas.

Strip Tees and its associated products – glassware, hoodies and t-shirts – saw more than 650 pre-orders in the first couple of weeks and developed a still growing cult following. But Liam says it was always the plan to quickly expand and take the beer mainstream.

more to come – we’re showing our support for the hospitality industry with a new and exciting product”.

Ordering a pint of Strip Tees in his local was a dream come true for Liam. He says “Going into the pub, buying a pint of my own beer and taking that very first sip in the beer garden in the sun was an incredibly proud moment”.

It was always Liam’s long term plan to see his brew take its place behind his favourite bars and restaurants, eventually gracing our bottle shops, takeaways and All signs are pointing to Strip Tees being the next big thing, so naturally, Liam doesn’t plan to stop here. He other establishments with an alcohol license. plans to see his brand flourish regionally and then Seeing Strip Tees in several local pubs is a huger beyond. achievement for Liam – especially after the havoc Covid wreaked on the hospitality industry. The distinctive “Ideally, we’d like to get into more premises, particularly blue and black cans and first kegs of Strip Tees can be places like Riverside Stadium, which I think is the found at the Twisted Peel in Guisborough, The Tannery perfect fit for Strip Tees,” says Liam. in Great Ayton and That Pantry, Saltburn, as well as While we enjoy pints of Liam’s beer down the pub, or Stockton’s Top Of The Hops. in cans in the garden, Strip Tees’s creator is not resting According to Liam “These are the first of our venues on his laurels. He’s got a lager and a New England IPA in the planning stages! and it’s all systems go now”.

“I hope that by placing Strip Tees in these venues – with

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Butterwick Animal Rehab Clinic: helping dogs to live full, happy and pain-free lives If your dog has recently had surgery or is slowing down due to old age or weight gain, we can help you to restore your canine friend’s vitality. Here at Butterwick Animal Rehab Clinic (BARC) in Darlington, we help dogs to enjoy full and healthy lives.

about helping dogs to go from Eeyore to Tigger.

Our team has expanded to four members of staff to ensure we can continue to meet the ever-growing demand for our services even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have various amenities, including a pool and aquatic treadmill enabling us to offer vet physiotherapy, We help dogs and their owners get back to what they enjoy doing together. For some, that could be hydrotherapy and laser treatment. long walks, going out for a run, walking in the woods, Here, your dog will be in the safe hands of Mark Harding, playing on the beach, having a cuddle on the sofa or just one of the UK’s leading veterinary physiotherapists pottering about in the garden. and hydrotherapists. Mark is also a nationally-known If you are worried about your dog and are eager for speaker and lecturer. them to lead a more active and pain-free life, we invite Mark established BARC in 2004 to help his own dog you to get in touch with our team.

– and, in the 17 years since, has remained passionate

To contact us, please phone 01325 353260 or 07741 651000 or email info@butterwickanimalrehab.co.uk.You can also find us at www.butterwickanimalrehab.co.uk and on Facebook.

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Are you worried about your dog slowing down?

• Does your dog struggle to stand up or do they find it harder to get on the sofa for a cuddle?

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Sausage meatball noodle stir-fry It only takes minutes to make this delicious twist on the traditional stir-fry, with easy-to-make sausage meatballs. The recipe serves one, but can be doubled.

Directions 1/ Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Run a sharp knife down the centre of the sausages and peel off the skins. Break up the sausage meat and put it in a bowl. Finely chop a spring onion and add it to the bowl. Add the ginger, coriander stalks, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, half the garlic and chilli flakes and the sesame oil, if using. Mix well.

2/ Roll the mixture into four large meatballs. Heat a teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok and cook the meatballs for 5–10 minutes, turning often, or until browned all over and cooked through. Transfer to a baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm.

Ingredients

3/ Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions (or bring a pan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.

4/ Thinly slice the remaining two spring onions. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the frying pan and add the remaining garlic and chilli flakes, the sliced spring onions and carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the noodles, beansprouts and remaining soy sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

5/ Add the meatballs and stir. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves, and more soy sauce if necessary, and serve immediately.

Prep: less than 30 mins

Cook: 10 - 30 mins

2 pork sausages 3 spring onions 2cm/¾in piece root ginger, grated handful fresh coriander, leaves picked, stalks chopped 4 tsp dark soy sauce 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 pinches dried chilli flakes 1 tsp sesame oil (optional) 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks 1 nest dried egg noodles handful beansprouts 24

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Serves 1

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t

gin l a erb he h

Become a distiller for a day £95 per person

So what happens... gin to take away to savour when not driving), with small volume tasting of other gins,

An individual recipe for each guest will be developed under one-to-one tutelage and "Still skills"- for personal use of the distillation facilities - will be covered in detail to allow each personal recipe to be bottled and owned with each person's new found distillation skills. In total, the experience will last approximately 3 hours and guests are welcome to stay

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Places to go...

Lincoln eople very rarely just get on a long distance P train for the fun of it. Excluding a few rail enthusiasts, people are going shopping,

attending an event, visiting friends and relatives, a funeral, a job interview or whatever. They need a reason to take the trip. LNER, the operator of trains on the East Coast Main Line, devised a day of activity with the City of Lincoln and advertised a special trip on a scheduled train at 0806 from London Kings Cross to Lincoln on Saturday 3rd July. Luckily, I was already in London.

The excursion did not have a specified return service. Passengers could choose how long they wanted to stay, including overnight. I elected to leave at 1912 and took an East Midlands Train to Newark North Gate where a short connection enabled me to catch the train north to Durham.

Lincoln City and its suppliers pulled out all the stops to welcome the special visitors. There was free food on the platform before you even got on the train, and goodie bags containing vouchers, mead, blackcurrant jam, rapeseed oil, and numerous vouchers for things I might like to do when there. I had booked a first class ticket, and the carriage was not crowded. A breakfast platter arrived with Lincolnshire sausage, bacon, egg, hash browns and baked beans. With so much effort having gone in to planning the Lincoln Experience Train, it must have been galling to find that a signalling problem in the Welwyn area delayed the train by around 50 minutes into Lincoln. 50% refund! More galling still for the customers who knew that had the train been a further ten minutes late, the one hour rule on delay repay would have got them all their money back for the journey! Anyway, breakfast on 3rd July was the first I had on LNER before the first lockdown, and was accompanied by two more bottles of free gin which arrived with plum bread and general jollillity all round.

On arrival, I did not head into the city centre, but headed south on the High Street through the southern outskirts of Lincoln to South Park, where I passed a glorious collection of high-end Victorian houses. At Canwick Road I met a brief shower, where I sought protection in a handy bus shelter. Climbing the hill, I found my

www.lincolnimptrail.co.uk |

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objective: the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) commemorating 57,861 men and women from 62 nations who died in Bomber Command during WW2.

Opened in 2018, the Chadwick Visitor Centre was impressive and informative with videos, exhibition and ephemera, and the spire and engraved metal memorials (in the same type of metal as the Angel of the North) was quite moving. Overlooking the city, the land is on a long lease from Jesus College, Oxford.

It was the first day of the open top tour bus but it doesn’t serve the IBCC. It should. I found a Stagecoach bus into Lincoln, and spent the rest of the afternoon following the Imp trail also inaugurated the same day, making my way north to the Castle, up the very Steep Hill which is a big surprise for anyone who thinks Lincolnshire is flat. I did not have time to see the Magna Carta, but enjoyed an ice cream and a rest on the grass until it was time to walk across to the Cathedral for Choral Evensong at 1730. There were only five adult choristers and a conductor, but they packed a punch. Meanwhile my Delay Repay from LNER was confirmed on Monday morning.

alexnelson@dunelm.org.uk www.nationalrail.com

www.visitlincoln.com |

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2021 SUMMER FUN EVENTS Tuesdays 20, 27 July, 3, 10, 17 & 24 August

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THE

LITTLE QUAKER

BRINGING THE MEDALS HOME Darlington’s very own Little Quaker Distillery based in Clarks Yard recently scooped their 6th Award in the last two years. Their original Quaker Gin won a Silver Medal at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Awards.

Quaker Gin finished in the top 12% in a competition that had thousands of entries from around the globe missing out on out Gold by 1 point. This was the fifth medal awarded to the original Quaker Gin having scored Gold in China and Asia last year, Silver in London in 2021 and a Gold at the IWSC in 2020.

With over 50 years of experience, the IWSC, or Club Oenologique as it was called back in 1969, was the first official wine and spirit competition. The IWSC is proud to set the international benchmark for quality, standing out in the crowded world of drinks awards with hundreds of global experts.

IWSC judges consist of a mix of wine and spirit experts, such as leading sommeliers, Master of Wines and Master Sommeliers, and distillers from across the globe. The IWSC is the go-to platform for having your wines or spirits tasted and reviewed by leading decision-makers from both the offand on-trades, as well as by key influencers.

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It marks a remarkable few years for the Darlington based distillery with the husband and wife duo of Paul and Leanne Colman expanding and moving premises in to Clarks Yard during the lockdown.

Leanne said ‘ We are absolutely delighted to win the award to finish one point off a Gold at one of the toughest competitions to win is a remarkable achievement. The IWSC is a blind taste competition with the Judges coming from within the industry so they really know a good gin.’

Paul added this year has seen us go from strength to strength with moving premises we now are part of the amazing artisan community in Clarks Yard and now that the tasting room is open above the Gin Emporium we are able to welcome visitors in to the distillery where they can get a real feel for how an artisan craft distillery works, whilst getting to taste the different gins we produce.

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The Little Quaker Distillery in Clarks Yard, Darlington has a gin emporium downstairs where you can purchase all the Quaker Gin range as well as their Black Diamond Rums, various gift packs and cocktail kits as well as a range of locally produced craft beers. Upstairs at the distillery is the distilling area and tasting room. Gin tasting experiences are available at £25pp where the customer gets to visit the upstairs area and get an intimate gin tasting experience where they learn all about gin and in particular Quaker gin sampling 4 of the 6 gins in the range, paired with the right tonics and garnish. At the end of the experience the customer will choose their personal favourite gin from the session and get the opportunity to then make a cocktail behind the bar area with that gin.

Introductory offer

£25 pp for 1st two months

Book Now on: T: 07919 618125 E:info@littlequakerdistillery.co.uk

www.littlequakerdistillery.co.uk Clarks yard, Darlington, DL3 7QH

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What’s on is sponsored by:

k out o o l o t s Thing for in...

August

In The Night Garden 7 August – 10:00 – Darlington Hippodrome Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, MakkaPakka and friends come to Darlington in this fun-filled live show. Find more information and book online at www.darlingtonhippodrome. co.uk.

Darlington Pride Weekender 7 August – 12:00 – Market Square The all-inclusive community event returns over the weekend and into Monday 9th August at Market Square, South Park and other venues in the town centre.

Discover the latest news at www.facebook.com/ Darloprideweekender.

Billy Joel Tribute UK 7 August – 20:00 – Harrowgate Club & Institute Ltd What better way to celebrate the Piano Man’s birthday, than with his greatest hits performed by the UK’s most exciting Billy Joel tribute act? Expect thrilling renditions of “Tell Her About It”, “My Life”, “Uptown Girl” and other classics. Tickets can be purchased directly from the club at Salters Lane North, or online via www.ticketsource. co.uk/harrowgate-club.

Darlington Proms in the Park 8 August – 15:00 – South Park Head to the South Park bandstand on Saturday afternoon for this free event offering music for all ages and tastes.

Bring your picnics and blankets, and relax outdoors while enjoying performances by bands from across the

Got an event coming up?

Let us know and we’ll help spread the news.

Email details of your event to: sales@darlingtonmonthly.co.uk 32

YORKSHIRE LOFT LADDERS

region. No tickets are required; email eventsteam@ darlington.gov.uk for further information.

Wizard of Oz 12 August – 14:00 – The Majestic Theatre Immerse yourself in the perfect family pantomime for the summer; performances are set to take place until Saturday 14th August. Point your browser to www.ticketsource. co.uk/majestic-theatre to book your tickets.

Original Band Night 12 August – 19:30 – The Forum Music Centre Experience punk rockers DeadBeat At Dawn, heavy rock act The Exxtras, and garage ska punk band Blank Headspace at the Borough Road venue. There will also be a DJ set.Tickets are priced at £5, plus booking fees, and are available to purchase at www.theforumonline.co.uk.

Darlington Piano Society – George Harliono 22 August – 15:00 – The Dolphin Centre Hear a recital by the top international prize winner described by The Guardian as a “pianist of extraordinary talent”. Buy tickets for the event at the Central Hall venue at www.dpiano.co.uk.

Ren Harvieu 23 August – 19:30 – The Forum Music Centre The darkly enigmatic singer with a supple, yearning voice mixes ‘60s pop, soul and modern alt-rock. Find out more details and purchase tickets for £14 at www. theforumonline.co.uk.

Darlington Food & Drink Festival 27 August – 10:00 – Market Square Running until Monday 30th August, this four-day event will see food and drink professionals from across the region showcase their food and skills. Expect tutorials, entertainment and above all, great food and drink! Check out www.facebook.com/Darlingtonmarketofficial for the latest updates.

We Love 90s In The Park 27 August – 16:00 – South Park Transport yourself back to your favourite era with this tribute to the great pop bands of the ‘90s. East 17, Boyzlife, Atomic Kitten and Honeyz are all set to appear at this summer spectacular. Learn more details – including how you can buy tickets – at www.facebook.com/ weloveninetees.

ABBA Tribute Featuring Kiss The Teacher 28 August – 20:00 – Harrowgate Club & Institute Ltd Revel in this four-piece ABBA tribute show that will have you partying like you’re back in the disco days. Find tickets at www.ticketsource.co.uk/harrowgate-club.

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Wordsearch

PUZZLE PAGE Simply complete one of the competitions below, fill in the entry form and send to the postal address provided.

You have the chance to win...

a tasting gift set Courtesy of...

The Little Quaker Distillery

www.littlequakerdistillery.co.uk Clarks Yard, Darlington, DL3 7QH Tel: 07919 618125

Name The Ad HOW TO PLAY: Match the five segments of images below with an Advert in this magazine, place either the company name or the page number in the space below each box.

Sudoku easy

BRIDE | BRIDESMAIDS | CAKE | CHURCH CONFETTI | DOVES | DRESS | FLOWERS GROOM | PHOTOGRAPHS | RINGS | SUITS

The Winner will be notified by Darlington Monthly within 14 days of the competition closing date.

Name: Address:

Postcode: Email:

Please send all entries to: Competition Department, Unit 4, Station Road, Chester-le-Street, DH3 3DY. Competition End Date: 22nd August 2021 Find us on Facebook: DarlingtonMonthly Visit us online: www.darlingtonmonthly.co.uk

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My Journey as a Belly Dancer “My Journey as a Belly Dancer” is a true story that delves into the glitz and dangers of a world Elizabeth found herself caught up in as a professional Belly Dancer.

After a broken relationship in Barristers’ Chambers, she went on holiday to Morocco where she sensed ‘déjà vu’ whilst watching an Arabian Dancer perform in a hotel.

Returning to London, she learnt the dance before fate led her to a Turkish Cypriot Restaurant, where the owner showed her the ropes.

She made her own costumes to enhance her career and whilst dancing in the clubs and restaurants at night as a Professional Belly Dancer, she also kept her job as a Legal Secretary during the day, finding herself in two very different worlds.

Many years later, someone from Elizabeth’s past tracks her down, but does she dare meet up with him since he had become a famous celebrity?

A fascinating and compelling read.

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COACH HOLIDAYS & DAY TRIPS FROM STAINDROP, GAINFORD & DARLINGTON! London Weekend Friday 8th - Sunday 10th October - £249 (Single Supplement £115) - including 2 nights B&B at Novotel Greenwich.

Chester or Cheshire Oaks Saturday 16th October £25 per person

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Get Steamy in the Scottish Highlands with the Jacobite Steam Train - Monday 11th – Friday 15th April 2022 £565 per person (please call for s/s info) – price includes coach travel, 4 nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast at Caledonian Hotel, return journey on the Jacobite Steam Train. Plus Loch Ness cruise, Wildlife coastal cruise and Ben Nevis Cable Car.

Picking up at Barnard Castle, Staindrop, Gainford, Darlington & Scotch Corner (On some occasions these pickups will be provided via a free feeder bus.)

All trips include attraction admission plus hotels and meals where applicable.

For full itineraries or a brochure please call 01833 621302 www.barnardcastlecoachesltd.com 37 Find us on Facebook: DarlingtonMonthly Visit us online: www.darlingtonmonthly.co.uk

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More than £35 million in ‘restart’ funding distributed to County Durham businesses Retail and hospitality outlets in County Durham and Darlington adversely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic were handed over £35 million to help them reopen amid the gradual relaxation of lockdown restrictions.

The Government’s £5 billion Restart Grant scheme was the source of the money, with Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council issuing £35.6 million in grants to 4,956 businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries under the scheme up to the end of May. The figures, from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), show that Darlington Council received a £6.3 million pot, which meant £792,180 was still left over to give away by the end of July.

Durham County Council, meanwhile, was handed £28.6 million; however, the local authority’s expenditure exceeded its allocation by £1.6 million.

What was the Restart Scheme?

The Government’s Restart Grant scheme opened in April, with the aim of helping boost the economy as businesses geared up for the lifting of restrictions.

The now-shuttered initiative provided up to £6,000 in one-off grants for non-essential retail businesses, as well as up to £18,000 for firms in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, gym and personal care sectors.

Across England, £2.6 billion from the scheme had found its way into the hands of over 340,000 businesses via councils up to the end of May.

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businesses applied for.

Responding to the BEIS figures last month, Andrew Goodacre, chief executive at the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), commented: “This data clearly shows that some local authorities still have money to hand out to hard-hit businesses to help with their recovery.”

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), meanwhile, said delays in payments had worsened the situation for members already struggling as a result of July’s delay to the lifting of restrictions for indoor hospitality.

Representing the country’s councils, the Local Government Association (LGA) said there was a need for stringent checks to be undertaken on businesses before local authorities could release funds under the Restart Grant scheme.

Concerns about slow-moving councils as businesses’ financial pressures bite

An LGA spokesman stated: “Councils have had to come to terms with a rapidly changing landscape and guidance with different grants applying to different time periods and lockdowns, but are working fast to ensure businesses can receive funding as quickly as possible.”

While the above sums paid out seem impressive, there have been complaints from business leaders about some councils taking too long to pass on the money

The scheme closed to new applications at the end of June. The Government urged any businesses that had not received their payment by 31st July to contact their local council.

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