Durham
Durham packs a lot into a small space. It’s just the right size to be a busy and exciting place to live, but at the same time it’s got a real sense of identity and so it’s a very welcoming place for your new home. The historic cathedral and castle dominate the city, high up above the River Wear, but the people here have an equally strong presence, so you’ll very quickly feel at home. You’ll be near enough to metropolitan Newcastle upon Tyne for a taste of big city life however Durham has just as much going for it, just on a smaller scale.
Living here
Somewhere with a strong visitor economy is bound to be a great place to live too. You can make the most of all the attractions without having to travel and you’ve got your own place to stay! Durham has great amenities, convenient transport links if you need to commute for work and edge of town superstores as well as great town centre shopping.
Getting around
Durham is just off the A1(M), that determined motorway linking London with Newcastle upon Tyne. Its train station is also a key transport link, with London North Eastern Railway, TransPennine Express and CrossCountry services connecting with London King’s Cross, Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Newcastle International Airport is approximately 30 minutes drive away, for domestic and international flights.
Going to School
Being home to a world-class university, education is close to the heart of this city and families have a good choice of primary and secondary schools, in both state and independent sectors. New College Durham is an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ further education college – that puts it in the top 10% nationally. University life is of course a big part of this city too, adding to its sense of fun and energy, and of course to its economy.
Enjoying yourself
Retail therapy, history, culture, sport – Durham has all these on hand. There’s a wonderful indoor market as well as an outdoor market in the square, and you can’t live in Durham without going to Bells Restaurant for the best fish & chips you’ve ever tried. The old town has winding cobbled streets with quirky shops and cafes and there's a modern shopping mall too. Out of town, the Durham Dales are stunning. Miles of open countryside, pretty villages with traditional stone cottages and scenery to blow the cobwebs away.