North East thread 7: the bus chat continues...

[Someaddedsugar]

Just setting this up so it's here

Didn't feel the benefit! It was so sticky when I took DS2 out for a leg stretch, this morning.

For anyone still reading this thread. The Go North East Santa bus times are out ( routes etc)

I miss the bus chat! Thank you @AlviarinAesSedai

It's the 17th for us. The bus tracks on the app, which DS2 likes to follow.

Thanks for the annual bus reminder! Hope everyone is keeping well!

I hope everyone is well, I’m enjoying the run up to Christmas now my children are older, it’s very calm.
Went to Newcastle and saw Fenwicks window, return to form I think. The Lumiere is back this week (last one) this year I can’t deal with the crowds so will just look at the photos!
I love all the Christmas lights switch on, almost as much as I love the M&S Christmas food leaflet, 🧑🏻‍🎄🎅🏻🤶🥂🎄🎄

DH has lumiere tickets for himself and DS2. They usually walk there and back.

I thought the Fenwick window was rather uninspiring. Not helped by a preacher shouting in my earhole. It was nice to see some of the paving finished, though.

Ah that’s disappointing I thought the window was a classic.
Agree nice that a lot of the paving is finished. I am very uninspired by the Grey Street revamp.
I don’t like the Christmas market but will be back to check out the lights.

My hair salon is down towards the bottom of Grey street and nothing that has been done has made it seem any better than before they completely trashed it, almost 6 years ago. I still feel like I need eyes in the back of my head when I walk down there in broad daylight.

John Lewis has the Quality Street refill station again. Brilliant gift and no more favours you don’t like 🎄

Hello everyone, it’s been a while! I hope you have all been enjoying the recent sunshine!

Hello! Yes the sunshine is very welcome.

The sunshine has been mostly nice but today was rather bleurgh.

I know this is an oldish post but I had forgotten about this thread.

Just had a look down Grey Street ( on Google), what a mess. The people who make the decisions have completely missed what makes Grey Street stand out, the long unbroken broad downward sweep with beautiful buildings on either side.

Loads of planters, seats no one will use, narrow the road further with an eye on full pedestrianisation in the future, give it a broken up disjointed look.

Part of its appeal was it felt alive,unlike Northumberland street which is just dreadful most of the time.

Just my thoughts anyway.

The seats do seem to be a handy repository for puke, unfortunately.

I was thinking just litter, god I hope they don’t close it Grey Street to traffic. That hill is a killer! I visit Pure Knead. Walk down but bus back, because I’m lazy AF.

Re Durham, anyone know if The Stack is delayed again?

I don't think it ever got back going. They hit structural problems with the Bishop Auckland one so out all their resources into managing that then never came back to it. Even the scaffolding had gone, last time I passed.

The new Waterstones at the arnison centre is fab but I can't see them keeping both city centre stores open.

They have also opened a new book and coffee shop in Chester le Street. They got a mention in Parliament by our MP.

Yes, my DD took her Grandma for a visit. Best day since before COVID for my DM! She was so happy excited and pleased with herself, they even got a McDonald’s.
I hope they don’t close city centre Waterstones!
With New Look going and the redevelopment of Prince Bishops Durham will have nothing but Collected and Course/Isla! Books and food!
There is also a cool new coffee shop opposite Marriott at Durham. Never seen so many Instagram posts about it!

So is the Bishop one a building as well? Thought they were supposed to be shipped containers. Lol

I'm not sure about the bishop one. I think they are filling in a gap so it might be a mixture. IIRC the structural problems were with the adjoining building.

There's some amazing transformations taken place down in Bishop but I don't think redeveloping the bus station has done it any good. The bus stops have been scattered all over the place and it's quite dangerous.

This is the site.
Bishop Auckland Area Community Support Group | STACK-ing Up or Falling Down | Facebook https://share.google/7veFjZhFKPtdZn9XK

And DS1 took this pic of the new bus station, the other week. It's getting there. Might be finished before ours.

I imagine Waterstones will close in the City Centre eventually (there’s the University branch near the Cathedral as well so perhaps they would just keep that one open)? Still, we love Collected!

There’s also a second hand book store in the indoor market in Durham that’s opened recently called Verdigris - it’s taken over from the previous book stall and has a nice, curated selection.

My DC are heading towards teen years and I worry that there isn’t much in the city centre in Durham these days for when they want to be independent.

There really isn’t anything for children or teenagers in Durham. Mine went to Waterstones then a coffee shop or bubble tea 🧋 🤢. (for the bubble tea).