DARLINGTON NEWS
TOWN BAGS TOP PLACE IN ‘ NEW BUSINESS ’ CHART
CHANCELLOR APPROVES STATION CASH INJECTION
Cash for a major overhaul of Darlington Station was confirmed by chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP during a visit to the region .
The Darlington Station Project has already been primed with £ 33m from the Tees Valley Combined Authority .
Mr Hunt passed through the station before speaking to Darlington business owners and dropping into the Darlington Economic Campus , currently based at Feethams House .
Mr Hunt confirmed £ 93m for the project on his visit – following on from previous commitments that take total government investment to £ 105m .
The raft of improvements planned will improve capacity on the wider Tees Valley rail network and create better access to the East Coast Main Line – further enhancing regional connectivity .
Buildings are being cleared to make way for an extension to the station , with the old and new sites linked by a bridge joining the historic train shed with the modern facility . The station redevelopment includes a multi-storey car park , transport interchange and gateway entrance connected to Central Park . New platforms will accommodate current and future services to improve the region ’ s local and national transport links .
An upgrade to the Victoria Road entrance and car park pick-up and drop-off points are also planned , with new road layouts , wider pavements and a boost to walking and cycling access to make the station easier to reach and improve transport connections .
The Tees Valley Combined Authority , Network Rail , LNER , Darlington Borough Council and the Department for Transport will play roles , with the aim for the project to be ready by mid-2025 .
Darlington traders received a boost ahead of Small Business Saturday by being named the fourth most entrepreneurial town in the UK .
Analysing new data released by the Office for National Statistics , SME insurance provider Superscript calculated that between 2021-22 , the number of small businesses in Darlington with up to 49 employees increased by 210 , up 6.6 per cent .
Cross-referenced with the latest population figures , this gave Darlington a “ small business per capita ” score of 0.19 , in contrast to the national trend , with small businesses across the UK decreasing by 83,000 .
This growth was largely driven by the transport and storage sector .
1,500 people attend Darlington Jobs Fair
Almost 1,500 people came through the door at the 2023 Darlington Jobs Fair - hundreds more than last year .
A wide range of jobs , training , support and advice was on offer from more than 70 organisations .
There were opportunities for people of all ages , interests and backgrounds , with roles including fitness instructors , care workers , police , the armed forces , finance , retail and management .
The council ’ s Learning and Skills and Youth Employment initiative ( YEI ) teams were on hand to talk through the great range of training courses , apprenticeships and employment opportunities across the borough , alongside human resources and other departments , all with real-time vacancies .
£ 2m upgrade planned after apartment group acquires historic hotel
A historic hotel is set for a £ 2m upgrade after becoming the latest addition to a group ’ s growing portfolio of unique wedding venues .
The 24-bedroom , Grade II-listed Croft Hotel at Croft-on-Tees , near Darlington , has been acquired by Newcastle-based the Apartment Group for an undisclosed sum .
Work is starting on the addition of six new bedrooms , the creation of a new chapel , a transformation of the function suite and other improvements across the hotel ’ s restaurant , wellness facilities and gardens
Up to 30 new jobs are expected to be created . It ’ s anticipated the venue will be ready to host weddings and events this summer .
Hazard detection software company recognised for innovation in safety
A provider of compliance systems has been recognised at a global awards ceremony for its outstanding contribution to preventing incidents in the maritime industry .
Exis Technologies , which supplies software systems for the management of dangerous goods in sea transport , was named as one of three finalists in ICHCA International ’ s TT Club Innovation in Safety Award for its cargo screening solution , Hazcheck Detect .
This Software-as-a-Service solution scans all booking details for keywords and phrases , validates against rules and highlights suspicious bookings to identify dangerous goods .
Exis , based on Faverdale Industrial Estate , Darlington , has 26 staff and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 157