A young people’s home continues to provide outstanding care for young people, according to Ofsted. Aycliffe Secure Centre, which provides a secure and caring home for vulnerable young people between the ages of 10 and 18, was judged as outstanding across all areas in 2019 and received an assurance visit last month from Ofsted which again...

By Paul Dalton Understandably, there were very few opportunities to race over the course of recent weeks, to the point that we only had one member actively participating in a race. On Sunday, December 13, Andy Talbot travelled North to Slaley Hall, near Hexham, for the Wild Deer Events 5 Mile Trail Race. In a race that featured some...

Residents in County Durham can now sign up for the Garden Waste Collection scheme for 2021. The first collection from the Durham County Council service takes place in late March or early April, followed by fortnightly collections until November when the season ends. Those who sign up before Sunday 14 February will receive all 17 collections...

Plans have been submitted by Durham Constabulary to build a new 48-cell custody and investigations suite. The force has formally lodged a planning application with Durham County Council requesting permission to build the two-storey centre opposite Stanley Black & Decker on the commercial business quarter of DurhamGate, near...

Santa has confirmed that he will be able to visit the parish of Great Aycliffe on Christmas Eve for his customary tour, which Great Aycliffe Town Council helps him to organise. Unfortunately, this year, there are some restrictions which even Santa is required by law to adhere to due to Covid-19 government regulations. To help keep Santa,...

Ebac chairman John Elliott was the cover star of the 48th issue of Aycliffe Business. Click here to read it. ...

Energy efficiency will be at the forefront of future projects thanks to a council’s involvement in an international climate change scheme. Over the last four years, Durham County Council has represented the UK in the international Renovation for Energy Efficient Buildings Scheme (REBUS), a project which brought together eight countries to...

Aldi stores are building on the supermarket’s successful festive food donations programme this year by donating meals on New Year’s Eve as well. For the last few years, the supermarket has donated unsold fresh and chilled food to charitable causes after stores close on Christmas Eve. For the first time, stores in County Durham will also...

An historic County Durham bridge is due to close after an assessment found it is no longer able to support pedestrians in its current condition. Whorlton Bridge, near Barnard Castle, will be closed to all users from Saturday 5 December until further notice. Opened in July 1831, the Grade II-listed structure and Scheduled Monument is the...

Newton Aycliffe-based automotive component manufacturer, Gestamp, has donated £1,000 and hundreds of re-usable water bottles to local secondary school, Woodham Academy, to help with the current Covid situation. Gestamp supplies most major car manufacturers and employs 1,200 people from the local area. The firm’s HR manager Brian Rees...