North East thread 6: Everyone's welcome!

[Someaddedsugar]

Just starting a new thread for anyone who wants to join!

Random but has anyone tried the Tim Hortons at Teeside Park? I really want to try a maple doughnut!

H&M Teesside park is closing too as I recall

Hi all, belated checking in on the new thread. Thankfully it's a bit cooler today in Darlington.

Couldn't believe it when they said Aysgarth Falls has dried up on Look North.

So glad the temperature has dropped today. Wish we had had the storm that was originally promised though, nothing quite like a summer storm.

H&M going?

Fuck all left in Durham except vape and phone accessory shops and charity shops. We have great cafés too but you need other shops to potter around! I used to fairly regularly go for a mooch in Durham but not any more. Ds2 wants to go on Friday though while his siblings are still at school, we have to go to the warhammer shop and waterstones.

It feels like there just isn't anywhere to "go shopping" any more unless you go to Newcastle or the metro which I loathe and despise but need to do as I have no clothes and various children need clothes too.

Very little left in Durham for a good potter about. I'm not really bothered about H&M but for it to be replaced by TGI Fridays, so yet another chain restaurant just seems pointless.

Durham is already awash with places to eat.

I know I couldn’t believe aysgarth falls either.

TGI Friday’s is going in Riverwalk where Flip pancake was going.
Hopefully something is lined up for Prince Bishops as even that has lots of empty shops.

I was surprised at how quiet all the Durham coffee shops were when I walked through, last week. The ones in Chester are always heaving. I had some time to kill there, last month and ended up not staying in Costa for very long because it was so packed that the noise was doing my head in.

Most of the students will have gone home @PickAChew

I wonder if H&M are struggling as they closed the kids shop at the metro and moved it in with the new home shop (which was already part of the normal shop).

Durham is such a strange one as it always seems busy at the weekend but there isn't really anything there other than coffee shops, restaurants and then charity and vape shops like you've said @OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea.

Is Burger Priest closed at the Arnison Centre? I don't think I've seen the lights on in weeks.

Burger priest got some terrible reviews, @Someaddedsugar. It's been closed for months. The chain was going to open under a new name but that seems to have fizzled out.

We went to burger priest not long ago because we hadn't read reviews. They were sooooo in your face attentive then begged us for a review and told us they'd had awful reviews. We didn't leave a review because of that despite the burger being fine actually.

It was dead when we went too. So not surprised if they've closed.

Just returned from a few days holiday staying in Durham. Visited Hartlepool, Seaton Carew and places further north and around. I have just commented to my husband (who is from the NE) on the way home back to M/c that nowhere have I ever met such friendly, helpful people as in the North East.

Did you go upstairs in Costa, PickAChew?
Coffee Bank and Miss Elephant are lovely too. Bonbons and Citrone cafe do lovely coffee too and ice-cream.
I need to get out more 😆
The teenagers seem to love a coffee/smoothie drink in Chester le Street. My DD likes to meet her friends in coffee shops.
I forgot about the students leaving Durham, might go in Tesco (market place) now.

What a lovely thing to say SophieJo

I agree, @SophieJo and I'm an incomer. Only been up here for 34 years 🤣

I didn't brave the stairs @AlviarinAesSedai as one of my knees wasn't in the mood for coming back down again. Coffee bank was full inside and out when I passed, this morning. Didn't that used to be the Halifax, many moons ago? I'm sure that's where I had to trek to from Gateshead when I took out my mortgage, in the 90s.

Gosh I’m so old I remember it as Northern Electric shop, where you went pay your electric bill, then I can remember a Blinds shop.
I also remember when were Costa is was a little arcade with a Burtons.
I know people diss Chester but I love it, between there and Arnison I have no reason to go to Durham. Other an cinema.

Coffee Bank often the window painted. Gorgeous mural window art.

Hi can I join please? You can probably guess from my name I'm in Northumberland. Originally from the south east. Anyone else kind of mid Northumberland? I haven't read the full thread but I'm going to now.

@QuestionableMouse I've had a Tim Hortons breakfast. It was really nice and so cheap! The drive thru queue was insane though.

Google Street View still remembers - and Woolies, next door!

Hi, @Northumberlander .North of the Tyne is very under-represented here. The more of you, the better, though.

How lovely a north east thread!
Did anyone travel on the metro yesterday or try to? It was absolutely horrific! And I don't think any of the bus companies have air con I was sweltering on the bus then standing under a load of sweaty armpits on the rammed metro that broke down...and that hasn't got air con either...

DH is from northumberland @Northumberlander. We have spent a lot of time there. We were in Morpeth last week.

Bloody hell that picture is a blast from the past, PickAChew.
Welcome @Northumberlander . North of the Tyne is definitely under-represented.
Yeah our bus and metro system isn’t the best.