News
COUNTY BID
Culture across county the key for Durham ’ s national bid
Durham ’ s bid for the UK ' s 2025 City of Culture is good news for the whole county , not just the city .
For the first time since the City of Culture prize was launched in 2009 , ( throwing a welcome spotlight on winners Derry in 2013 , Hull in 2017 and Coventry this year ), the scope has been widened to include surrounding areas , not just the city itself .
Thus , this year , a bid has been made by the whole county of Cornwall and in Durham ’ s case , the focus is countywide too .
That was one of the reasons why Beamish Museum was chosen as the venue to announce the bid , rather than the castle or cathedral , which would have been the obvious option .
Staging the year-long City of Culture showpiece can come with its own hefty price tag and several would-be bidders have withdrawn with that in mind .
But Durham is hoping to enjoy the same boost at this stage as Sunderland did when it competed for the 2021 accolade that was sent to Coventry .
And should Durham ultimately succeed in its quest , the prize on offer could be one of huge value .
An analysis of Hull ’ s year as UK City of Culture in 2017 showed it directly attracted almost £ 90m investment into the city , increased tourism and a total of 5.3 million attended more than 2,800 events , cultural activities , installations and exhibition
The government ' s DCMS department will invite six shortlisted locations to submit their full bids by January 2022 , with the successful city announced in May 2022 .
Alongside a UNESCO world heritage site , a globally renowned university and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , which is also a UNESCO Global Geopark , County Durham already boasts a growing calendar of events including Lumiere , Kynren , Seaham and Bishop Auckland Food Festivals , Durham Book Festival , Durham BRASS and first-class cricket .
Gala and Empire theatres reopen after refurbishment
Two popular theatres in County Durham have reopened their doors ready to welcome visitors back with a new look .
Durham County Council has completed renovation work at the Gala Theatre , Durham , and the Empire Theatre , Consett .
Over the last year , Consett ’ s Empire Theatre saw a £ 823,000 refurbishment of the auditorium , toilets , and front of house area , as well as a new stage and technical equipment .
Although no longer in operation , local group Friends of Empire donated £ 11,500 from leftover memberships and donations to help towards the purchase of furniture and a new counter front .
Meanwhile , the Gala Theatre in Durham has had a £ 600,000 refurbishment , fitted with new flooring and seating in the auditorium , as well as a new-look box office , display screens , signage and furniture .
Both venues will reopen with a brand-new menu for their respective cafes , with food
being served from 9.30am to 5.30pm at the Gala Theatre , and from 10am to 3pm at the Empire Theatre .
Cllr Elizabeth Scott , Durham County Council ’ s cabinet member for economy and partnerships , said : “ Creative industries contributed more than £ 116bn to the UK economy in 2019 , and the arts are set to play a crucial role in the county ’ s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic .
“ By welcoming visitors back to the Gala and Empire theatres , we can help support the recovery of local businesses , especially the hospitality and retail sector , which have been hit hard by the pandemic .”
INSIGHT
Kevin Maddison , managing director , Root Cause Consultancy
THE IMPACT OF HOME WORKING
As most business returns to ‘ normal ’, one factor that needs to be discussed is dealing with remote workers . Like it or not the situation will not be going away .
There needs to be understanding from employers about the demands of remote work and the need to provide managerial resources to address challenges that include : Face-to-face supervision Some managers worry that employees will not work as hard or as efficiently . Many employees , on the other hand , struggle with reduced access to managerial support . Employees may feel remote managers are out of touch with their needs . Access to information Newly remote workers are often surprised by the added time and effort needed to locate information . Getting answers to what seem like simple questions can feel like a large obstacle to a worker based at home . Social isolation Loneliness is one of the most common complaints about remote work , with employees missing the informal social interaction of an office setting . An issue may be over a longer period , such isolation can result in feeling the need to leave the company . Distractions at home The mind ’ s eye portrays a parent holding a child and typing on a laptop , often sitting on a sofa or living-room floor . In fact , this is a terrible representation of effective virtual work . Employers must try to ensure their remote workers have both dedicated workspace and adequate childcare before allowing them to work remotely .
Even in normal circumstances family and home demands can impinge on remote work .
Managers should expect these distractions from reluctant home working team members .
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