Lumiere photo competition winners announced!

Hilary Ratcliffe's Winning Image Of Mysticète

Milburngate has unveiled the stunning images from the winners of its Lumiere festival photography competition.

Elizabeth Woods’ Winning Lumiere Image

Scooping the prize for the best overall Lumiere photo was Elizabeth Woods, a singing teacher for Durham Music Service, for her shot of the Harmonic Portal installation.

The Harmonic Portal, a piece by Durham-based artist, Chris Plant was a mesmerising meditation on sound, light and texture, located at Castle Chare and Tenter Terrace, next to St Godric’s Church. The photograph, which was taken on Elizabeth’s mobile phone, portrays the beauty of the colour and light installation and includes the silhouette of her 12-year-old son Jonathan Woods.

Elizabeth Woods said: “The installation was beautiful and constantly changing colours, but this vibrant image stood out to me from all the photos I had taken. I am absolutely delighted to win and overwhelmed with all the social media shares and public response received through the voting process.”

The competition also offered a prize to the best image of the Milburngate-sponsored installation, Mysticète, created by design agency Top ‘la’ Design, led by creative director Catherine Garret.

The winner, Hilary Ratcliffe, a first time Lumiere visitor from Whitley Bay, is an examiner and tutor, and a keen wildlife and bird photographer. Her spectacular winning image, taken on a Canon 5D Mark iv, captured the stunning and strikingly life-like apparition of the whale emerging from the River Wear next to the Milburngate development site.

Hilary Ratcliffe said: “I am amazed, I love wildlife photography, but I never thought I would win my first competition with an image of a whale that’s not really there! However, the detail in the design of Mysticète really brought it to life and was a pleasure to capture on camera.”

More than 300 entries were submitted, with a shortlist displayed online before being judged by a Milburngate panel led by Gary Lintern, who specialises in dark sky photography.

Both winners picked up a prize of £250 worth of vouchers for Ramside Hall hotel and spa. Gary Lintern said: “It’s not easy to take such great images at night and we were very impressed with the superb quality of submission for the competition and after much deliberation were able to agree on the final two exquisite winning photographs.

“Many congratulations to both Elizabeth and Hilary for capturing the essence of the spectacular artwork installations of Lumiere 2019 in the beautiful city of Durham”.

Matt Leigh, who is responsible for the marketing of Milburngate said: “We always work hard to make the most of our Lumiere sponsorship and our this competition was the perfect opportunity for the general public to showcase their skills in a way that captured the real beauty of the festival. We were delighted to receive so many superb entries and I hope people will agree that the two winning images really are worthy of taking first place in their respective categories.”

Everyman expands plans for Milburngate, increasing boutique cinema to four screens

Milburngate will offer visitors a greater choice of entertainment after Everyman Cinemas confirmed it is increasing the number of screens at Durham City’s landmark living, work and leisure destination.

Originally set to feature three screens, Everyman has committed to adding a fourth screen to the soon-to-be built boutique cinema, recognising its confidence in Durham City.

Everyman’s agreement to open a new-build cinema at Milburngate was its first move into the North East market, which was soon followed by establishing a venue in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in a converted building in Grey Street, which opened in May 2019.

With 31 locations, Everyman is one of the most innovative cinema operators in the UK, offering guests a very distinctive experience. The venues each feature unique and stylish cinema seating, a fully licenced bar, food, table service and digital projection and surround sound technology.

In addition to showing the latest cinema releases, Everyman offer a broad programme of films and special events including film festivals, seasons and live Q&As.

The Everyman cinema will be a cornerstone of phase one of Milburngate, which is being developed by a joint venture partnership between Arlington Real Estate and Richardson, supported by a £120 million forward funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management.

Currently under construction on the banks of the River Wear in the heart of Durham City, Milburngate will feature, in addition to Everyman, a mix of premium leisure operators, such as Miller & Carter, as well as 153 built-to-rent apartments, a high specification office building, One Milburngate, and a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel.

Crispin Lilly, CEO at Everyman, said: “We have been very encouraged by the popularity of our venue in Newcastle and we are confident there will be the same buzz around our boutique cinema at Milburngate. Our venues provide an intimate and attractive space offering a diverse line up of films and events, together with quality food and drink, which guests will be able to enjoy in our expanded Milburngate cinema.”

Ben Holmes, director on behalf of Richardson, said: “The Everyman team share our vision for Milburngate to become a landmark leisure destination for the North East, and expanding its plans for their Durham boutique cinema is a real endorsement of its commitment to the area and our development.”

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “The interest in Durham as a social and leisure destination is definitely building, which is evident in Everyman’s decision to increase the number of screens at Milburngate. Their unique approach of offering guests not just a movie but a great night out is growing in popularity across the country and we are delighted that Milburngate will be bringing this to Durham”

Milburngate launches Lumiere photography competition

Milburngate will celebrate the creative talents of visitors to Lumiere this week with a special photography competition.

Open to everyone from absolute novices to promising and experienced photographers, the competition is encouraging people to upload their photos of the festival to category websites where they will be judged by the public and an expert panel.

The competition is looking for the best photo taken at the festival, as well as a second category focused on the Milburngate-sponsored installation, Mysticète the life-like apparition of a whale that will appear in the River Wear.

The winners of each category will win a £250 gift voucher to spend at the luxury 4-star spa hotel, Ramside Hall in County Durham.

Across the four days of the festival, creative photographers will have a choice of 37 spectacular artwork installations located throughout the city to select as the subject for their competition entries in the ‘Best Photograph of Lumiere 2019’ category.

The second category, ‘The Best Photo of Mysticète 2019’, will challenge photographers to produce striking images of the whale, which has been created by design agency Top ‘la’ Design, led by creative director Catherine Garret, and is one of a collection of returning installations to mark Lumiere’s 10th anniversary.

The public can view the competition entries on two specially created websites where they can choose their favourite. The images will also be judged by a panel led by Gary Lintern, who specialises in dark sky photography, who is also leading a series of sold-out night-time photography workshops during Lumiere in partnership with Milburngate.

Gary said: “Lumiere will be an inspirational experience for everyone who visits Durham this week and I am sure will produce some absolutely fantastic photographs for the competition. No matter what experience entrants have they stand a chance of winning because they will bring their own personal style and talent to their photographs; I can’t wait to see them!”

Matt Leigh, who is responsible for the marketing of Milburngate said: “As part of our sponsorship, we’re offering the general public the chance to take part in a competition that we hope they really enjoy. The festival is such as visual spectacle we’re confident people will capture some fantastic shots during Lumiere, irrespective of how experienced they may be. All you need is a smart phone or a camera to take part and we hope entering this competition adds to the excitement the festival offers the many thousands of visitors coming to the city this week.”

To upload photos for the competition and vote on the entered images, visit:

Lumiere Image Upload:

photographyexperiences.wishpondpages.com/lumiere

Mysticete Image Upload:

photographyexperiences.wishpondpages.com/mysticete

Winners will be announced in early December.

'Milburngate Talks' Mysticète

Hear more from Mysticète creator, Catherine Garret, who reveals more about the inspiration and story behind the magical whale installation that makes its return to Lumiere this November.

Mysticète is the first of several popular returning artworks to be announced. The mesmerising 3D projection of a Baleen whale emerging out of the water, created by design agency Top’là and visual artist Catherine Garret, was a much-loved feature of Lumiere Durham 2015. For the festival’s 10th anniversary edition, happening from 14th to 17th November 2019, Mysticète will resurface on the River Wear at a new location north of Pennyferry Bridge.

Mysticète’s remarkable lifelike animation by Domenico Spano is complemented by an evocative soundtrack by Laurent Frick. The artwork’s environmental message, reminding visitors of the vulnerable beauty of nature and their duty to protect the earth’s inhabitants, has only become more pertinent since the whale last appeared four years ago.

Catherine Garret said: “I have always loved the strength, grace and majesty of whales - I first imagined Mysticète as a ballet. To me it’s important that feel we are a part of nature rather than separate from it, and that by taking care of the Earth and living things we are taking care of ourselves.

“In light of the environmental issues and natural disasters we are currently experiencing, Mysticète feels even more relevant than when it came to Lumiere in 2015. I want to create a bond between nature and everyone who sees the work, especially children. When you look at their spellbound faces, you realise they are the generation we are passing our world onto.”

Helen Marriage, Artistic Director of Artichoke, said: "Mysticète was such a hit with Lumiere audiences last time and I am so thrilled we’re able to present it in Durham again as part of the 10th anniversary edition. Mysticète’s magic is its ability to connect us with nature and show us a different way of looking at the world. I hope it will inspire our festival audience and be a fitting reminder of the preciousness of our world in this time of environmental crisis."

Lumiere, commissioned by Durham County Council and produced by arts charity Artichoke, will take place from 14th-17th November 2019. The full Lumiere programme, including additional festival favourites and exciting new works, will be announced on 17th October 2019.

You can find out more about Lumiere here https://www.lumiere-festival.com.

'Milburngate Munch' to refuel Lumiere visitors

Milburngate is launching a pop-up food event on Durham’s Riverside offering a variety of dishes and drinks for visitors to the 10th anniversary Lumiere Festival.

Based at the Milburngate development site next to the Radisson Hotel and Penny Ferry Bridge on the River Wear, ‘Milburngate Munch’ will run throughout the light festival, which takes place next week.

‘Milburngate Munch’ will bring together a collection of stalls operated by specially selected North East traders serving a range of quality hot food and drinks.

Among them will be a stall run by Sedgefield’s highly respected restaurant, The Impeccable Pig and Sunderland-based mobile wood fired pizzeria, Truly Madly Pizza. Also available will be stalls serving halloumi fries, scampi & chips and fish finger sandwiches along with hot drinks including Illy Coffee.

Perfectly positioned close to a number of the festival’s stand-out art installations on the riverside, including the giant glowing slinky toy, ‘End over End’, which will be on the Milburngate site, majestic whale, ‘Mysticete’ just a few metres away on the River Wear and ‘Blue Skies’ underneath Milburngate Bridge, ‘Milburngate Munch’ offers an ideal pit-stop for Lumiere visitors on their tour of the city.

Complementing the wider food and drink offering across Durham City available to visitors during Lumiere, ‘Milburngate Munch’ is part of the continued support of the festival by the developers of the living, working and leisure destination, Arlington Real Estate and Richardson.

The Milburngate development team has been a key supporter of Lumiere since the very first festival in 2009 with Arlington Real Estate Managing Director Allan Cook Chair of the Lumiere Durham Development Board.

Allan Cook said: “Milburngate Munch will offer a great place for Lumiere visitors to grab a bite to eat and a hot drink on their tour round the festival. We’ve brought together a great selection of local restaurants and traders who will offer some fantastic warm comfort to festival goers at Milburngate when they visit the riverside to see some of the amazing installations hosted there.”

‘Milburngate Munch’ will be open to Lumiere visitors throughout the festival on the following times:

Thursday 14th November: 4pm-11pm

Friday 15th November: 4pm-11pm

Saturday 16th November: 1pm-11pm

Sunday 17th November: 1pm-11pm

You can find ‘Milburngate Munch’ at:

Milburngate, Durham, DH1 5TQ.

Talent, connectivity, work-life balance

Exceptional connectivity, access to talent and offering staff a perfect work-life balance are key when it comes to making decisions about choosing your next office.

Hear more from Cushman & Wakefield's Greg Davison about why One Milburngate provides all of these benefits and more, in one of the north east's most exciting developments.

One Milburngate is a unique opportunity for your business to enjoy a bespoke office solution in the north east’s most prestigious development, with convenient access to some of the region’s finest talent and skills. Ready for occupation in the first quarter of 2021, One Milburngate will offer 53,701 sq ft of Grade A office space, available in flexible floor plates of up to 10,445 sq ft and suites upwards of 3,948 sq ft.

Situated at the heart of Durham, the Milburngate development, which is now under construction, will deliver much-needed office space to the city to attract new investment and support the creation and retention of more than 400 jobs.

One Milburngate has been designed by award-winning architects, FaulknerBrowns and will offer occupiers high specification working environments, as well as an exceptional level of digital connectivity through its Wired Certified Gold Status.

The offices form part of a living, working, leisure destination on the banks of the River Wear and will feature a mix of premium leisure operators, such as boutique cinema Everyman Cinemas and steak restaurant Miller & Carter, alongside 153 built-to-rent apartments and a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel.

Greg Davison, Partner at Cushman and Wakefield said: “One Milburngate will set a new benchmark for office space in Durham, one that meets the changing needs of 21st Century business, not only through its design and exceptional infrastructure, but through its location too. Businesses will be able to capitalise on the many benefits associated with locating in Durham City, ranging from its unrivalled transport connectivity and access to a diverse range of skills and talents, most notably from the city’s outstanding university.

“It will provide the opportunity for employers to deliver an excellent work-life balance for their people, with its contemporary riverside environment and premium leisure offering alongside its position within the historic city of Durham.”

One Milburngate will be followed by a second phase of office development which will comprise a further 177,000 sq ft of space.

Milburngate Launches Lumiere Photography Workshops

Milburngate is helping photographers capture the perfect picture during the festival with a series of special night-time photography workshops.

As part of our sponsorship of the 10th anniversary edition of Lumiere, Milburngate is helping photographers capture the perfect picture during the festival with a series of special night-time photography workshops.

Taking place during the festival in Durham City in November, the workshops will be led by photographer and astronomer Gary Lintern, who specialises in dark sky photography, heritage sites and rural landscapes.

This is the first-time photography workshops have taken place during Lumiere, and will offer enthusiastic photographers of all abilities the chance to develop their night-time photography skills.

Open to absolute beginners and more experienced photographers, the workshops, which take place on Thursday 14th and Sunday 17th November, are part-funded by Milburngate and have 12 places available on each session.

The workshops will help photographers make their experience of Lumiere last a lifetime by giving them the opportunity to create stunning images of some of Lumiere’s amazing light installations, which will be located throughout the city.

Among them will be Mysticète by Catherine Garret and Top’là Design, the stunning and strikingly life-like apparition of a whale, which is sponsored by Milburngate, and will be appearing from the River Wear next to the Milburngate development site.

The installation, which originally appeared in Durham in 2015, is one of a collection of some of the most popular artworks from previous festivals, which are returning as part of Lumiere’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Gary Lintern said: “This is an amazing opportunity for photographers to create vivid and high-quality images of Lumiere that will last a lifetime. I am really looking forward to working alongside photographers to share my experience and knowledge of shooting in low light locations, which will enable them to take photos that will do justice to the amazing light installations that the artists have created for Lumiere.”

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, which along with Richardson, is developing landmark living, working and leisure destination Milburngate, said: “We’re delighted to work with Gary Lintern to host these unique workshops, which will make Lumiere extra special for those taking part.”

“We have been supporting Lumiere since the first festival was held in Durham in 2009 and this 10th anniversary will definitely be one to remember with some amazing new installations and some returning classics like Mysticète”.

The workshops will take place on Thursday 14th and Sunday 17th November, from 4.30pm – 7.00pm and 8.00pm to 10.30pm for a non-refundable booking fee of £19.00.

Photographers will need to provide their own camera, ideally a DSLR or mirrorless, although bridge cameras are also suitable, and tripods are optional but will enable better shots.

To book your place please visit: https://photographyexperiences.co.uk/training/

Lumiere Programme Launched

We’re delighted to announce that the full programme of 37 artworks for Lumiere 2019 has now been revealed.

Created by Artichoke, the UK’s leading producers of art in the public realm, Lumiere runs from Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th November 2019. For the most ambitious edition of Lumiere yet, a selection of favourite artworks from previous festivals will sit alongside a host of new commissions by international artists and fresh talent from the North East.

Free to attend, the festival will reimagine the city through dramatic installations, dynamic projections and reflective works, which showcase the diversity and creativity of light art. The festival is commissioned by Durham County Council, with additional support from Arts Council England, Durham University and a host of further funders and supporters.

Lumiere 2019 marks 10 years since the festival first launched in Durham. This dazzling night-time spectacle has now become an unmissable fixture in the cultural calendar of the North East. While the number of artworks and visitors has continued to increase, the idea behind the festival — to bring art out onto the streets and cast the city in a new light — has remained steadfast.

Since the first edition, Lumiere has returned to the city every other year, as well as lighting up Derry~Londonderry in 2013, during its year as UK City of Culture, and London in 2016 and 2018. The festival has become an important part of Durham’s identity, so much so that it has become known as the ‘Place of Light’.

New to Lumiere

The 10th anniversary of Lumiere transform Durham into a magical winter nightscape with extraordinary new artworks and commissions, including interactive installations where audiences manipulate or become part of the art. Stones by artist collective Tigrelab Art (Spain) is a shape-shifting video-mapped projection onto the facade of Durham Cathedral, that visitors can change using stone tablets. Inspired by the coloured tiles that characterise so many Portuguese cities, Human Tiles by Ocubo (Portugal) will transform the exterior of Gala Theatre & Cinema into a kaleidoscope of projected patterns created in response to the movements of visitors bodies in real-time. Tug at the rope that propels Amelia Kosminsky’s floating sculpture Celestial Brainstorm (UK) and release sparkling neurons will be released into the night sky; make music by rotating Stellar Projects’ The Stars Come out at Night (UK); and fly up and down in a playground of illuminated see-saws by Wave-Field Variation H by CS Design, L4 Studio (Canada).

Geometrical Traces by Javier Riera (Spain) will illuminate the city’s riverside tree canopies in a mesmerising new work that draws upon mathematical patterns found in nature. Deepa Mann-Kler (UK) brings her glowing balloon dog sculptures Neon Dogs previously seen at Lumiere London, as well as a new work similarly inspired by pop culture. Shoefiti draws upon the urban phenomenon of shoe tossing, with over 150 illuminated shoes strung along Durham’s streets in a playful nod to this mischievous practice. Squidsoup (UK)’s extraordinary immersive work Wave - featuring 500 orbs of light and 500 voices – comes to the festival direct from its first exhibition at Burning Man in the Nevada desert earlier this year.

The four inventive artworks from the winners of the BRILLIANT competition will also be revealed. Penelope Payne (UK) brings a slice of summer to wintry Durham with Blue Skies, in her projection onto the underside of Milburngate Bridge. End over End, will remind everyone of childhood with this clever homage to the iconic slinky by Lucy McDonnell (UK); Washed Up, is a series glowing collages assembled from plastic reclaimed by Diane Watson (UK) from the beaches of the North East. A Different View by Mike Donaghy, provides a playful twist on the humble traffic light.

New community-led works

Artichoke have invited a range of community groups and individuals from across County Durham to take part in the creation of artworks for this year’s festival. Women residents at HMP Low Newton in Brasside have worked with poet Hannah Jane Walker (UK) to create The Next Page, a message for the future in neon displayed at Clayport Library. Meanwhile piano players of all ages will have the chance to see their music-making transformed into shape-shifting patterns on the facade of Rushford Court for Keys of Light by Mr.Beam (Netherlands).

Students from Durham Sixth Form Centre have collaborated with Ocubo (Portugal) & Storybox (New Zealand) on Are Atoms Alive? a fascinating short film displayed across nine shipping containers, whilst East Durham College students will reimagine the brutalist building Dunelm House with the new artwork Lift Off, a legacy piece from the Apollo 50 project in Peterlee earlier this year. Dan Shorten from Guildhall School of Music & Drama, who provided guidance for this project, is also bringing a Guildhall Live Events artwork - the immersive walkway Light Tunnel - to the festival.

Finally, young people from Parkside Academy in Willington and Tübingen in Germany have collaborated with schoolchildren worldwide to create the branches and flowers of Mick Stephenson (UK)’s Friendship Tree using recycled materials. The tree celebrates the spirit of collaboration and marks the 50th anniversary of Durham’s twinning with Tübingen.

Returning favourites

Lumiere 2019 will see the return of many past favourites from throughout the festival’s history. Two artworks from the very first edition of the festival will be making a comeback - Echelle, the pink neon ladder by Ron Haselden (UK/France), will appear in its original location on Saddler Street, whilst Bottle Festoon will pop up across the city. Over 900 children and adults haven taken part in drop-in workshops to create these dazzling chandeliers made from recycled bottles.

The giant glittering snow globe I Love Durham by Jacques Rival (France) joins the atmospheric sculpture Cloud, formed from 6,000 incandescent light bulbs by Caitland r.c. Brown & Wayne Garrett (Canada). Fire alchemists Compagnie Carabosse (France) return to illuminate Durham Cathedral and its surrounding grounds with Spirit, whilst Newcastle based creative studio NOVAK (UK) will once again transform Durham Castle into a fairytale village with Fool’s Paradise. The River Wear will welcome back Fogscape #03238, the mysterious nocturnal fog sculpture by Fujiko Nakaya (Japan) and Simon Corder (UK), whilst the majestic Mysticète by Top’là Design/Catherine Garret (France) will resurface upstream near Pennyferry Bridge.

Lumiere will also feature the return of two of the festival’s outstanding site-specific works - Cosmic Architecture by Nina Dunn & John Del’ Nero (UK) projected onto Durham University’s Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics and For the Birds, a collection of installations drawing visitors through the urban wilderness of Durham University’s Botanic Garden.

Five winning artworks from past editions of the BRILLIANT competition, launched in 2011 to support talent in the North East, are also included in the programme: Fusion by Mick Stephenson (UK); Sanctuary by Sarah Blood (UK); Big Knitting by Victoria MacLeod (UK); The Stars Beneath Our Feet by Louise Mackenzie (UK) and Harmonic Portal by Chris Plant (UK).

Installations on display for the duration of the festival join three permanent artworks which have already become part of the fabric of the city. Helvetictoc by Tobie Langel (Switzerland) has been telling the time in Millennium Place since 2013, while Lightbenches by Bernd Spiecker for LBO (Germany) has been encouraging passers-by to take the weight off their feet since 2015. Installed following Lumiere 2017, Heron by Jon Voss (France) continues to capture a fleeting moment in time - the unfolding wings of one of Britain’s most iconic birds.

Navigating the festival

Lumiere is open each night between 4.30pm and 11pm. The festival is completely free to attend and 26 of the 37 installations are accessible without a ticket at all times.

As in previous years, a peak-time ticketing system will be in operation for access into the central peninsula area between 4.30pm and 7.30pm each evening to allow visitors to have a comfortable experience. No-one needs a ticket to visit any area of the festival outside of peak hours.

Free peak hour tickets will be available to collect in person (maximum 6 per person) from Monday 28th October from Gala Theatre and Library and Leisure centres across the county. A number of tickets will be available online on the Lumiere website from Monday 28th October lumiere-festival.com.

This year a new Lumiere app is available, powered by This is Durham with support from Light Up the North, to help guide visitors around the festival and make the most of their visit to Durham. It can be downloaded for free at from the Apple app store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).

10th anniversary festival programmes priced £2 will be available from Thursday 17th October from Gala Theatre and ten Library and Leisure centres across the county. Programmes will also be available from the Lumiere Visitor Hub in Millennium Place. The Lumiere Visitor Hub will be open from Saturday 9th November between 11am and 5pm and between 12pm and 11pm from Thursday 14th November until Sunday 17th November and at several locations across the city during the festival’s four nights.

For more information, please visit www.lumiere-festival.com.

Lumiere Favourite Returns

Ahead of the full programme announcement on October 17th, we're delighted to reveal that we are sponsoring the return of Lumiere festival favourite Mysticète (the whale).

Mysticète is the first of several popular returning artworks to be announced. The mesmerising 3D projection of a Baleen whale emerging out of the water, created by design agency Top’là and visual artist Catherine Garret, was a much-loved feature of Lumiere Durham 2015. For the festival’s 10th anniversary edition, happening from 14th to 17th November 2019, Mysticète will resurface on the River Wear at a new location north of Pennyferry Bridge.

Mysticète’s remarkable lifelike animation by Domenico Spano is complemented by an evocative soundtrack by Laurent Frick. The artwork’s environmental message, reminding visitors of the vulnerable beauty of nature and their duty to protect the earth’s inhabitants, has only become more pertinent since the whale last appeared four years ago.

Catherine Garret said: “I have always loved the strength, grace and majesty of whales - I first imagined Mysticète as a ballet. To me it’s important that feel we are a part of nature rather than separate from it, and that by taking care of the Earth and living things we are taking care of ourselves. In light of the environmental issues and natural disasters we are currently experiencing, Mysticète feels even more relevant than when it came to Lumiere in 2015. I want to create a bond between nature and everyone who sees the work, especially children. When you look at their spellbound faces, you realise they are the generation we are passing our world onto.”

Milburngate’s joint venture partner Arlington Real Estate's managing director Allan Cook, says: “We've been keen supporters of Lumiere since day one and we're thrilled to be sponsoring one of my personal favourite installations, Catherine Garret’s Mysticète, in the festival’s 10th year. We know what a crowd pleaser it has been in the past and with increasing awareness of the fragile nature of their natural habitat I am sure it will be well received again. Sponsoring events like Lumiere is a great opportunity for businesses like ours to work with the arts and cultural community to help showcase Durham as a great place to live, work and visit.”

Helen Marriage, Artistic Director of Artichoke, said: "Mysticète was such a hit with Lumiere audiences last time and I am so thrilled we’re able to present it in Durham again as part of the 10th anniversary edition. Mysticète’s magic is its ability to connect us with nature and show us a different way of looking at the world. I hope it will inspire our festival audience and be a fitting reminder of the preciousness of our world in this time of environmental crisis."

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “When people talk to us about their favourite Lumiere installations, the ‘whale in the river’ comes up time and time again. We are delighted Mysticète is returning to Durham for Lumiere’s tenth anniversary edition. It will be a chance for the tens of thousands of people who admired it in 2015 to reconnect with it and for a whole new audience to marvel at its splendour.”

Lumiere, commissioned by Durham County Council and produced by arts charity Artichoke, will take place from 14th-17th November 2019. The full Lumiere programme, including additional festival favourites and exciting new works, will be announced on 17th October 2019.

You can find out more about Lumiere here https://www.lumiere-festival.com.

Milburngate Launches Speculative Offices

The developers of one of the North East’s largest mixed-use developments have officially launched their first speculative office building, One Milburngate, to meet the growing demand for high-specification offices in the city.

Situated at the heart of Durham, the Milburngate development, which is now under construction, will deliver much-needed office space to the city to attract new investment and support the creation and retention of more than 400 jobs.

Ready for occupation in the first quarter of 2021, One Milburngate will offer 53,701sq ft of Grade A office space, available in flexible floor plates of up to 10,445 sq ft and suites upwards of 3,948 sq ft.

One Milburngate has been designed by award-winning architects, FaulknerBrowns and will offer occupiers high specification working environments, as well as an exceptional level of digital connectivity through its Wired Certified Gold Status.

One Milburngate forms part of phase one of Milburngate, which is being developed by a joint venture partnership between Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, supported by a £120 million forward funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management.

The offices form part of a living, working, leisure destination on the banks of the River Wear and will feature a mix of premium leisure operators, such as boutique cinema Everyman Cinemas and steak restaurant Miller & Carter, alongside 153 built-to-rent apartments and a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel.

Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield are acting on behalf of the developers to let the available office space One Milburngate, which they suggest is a timely solution to meet growing demand in the city.

Patrick Matheson, Partner at Knight Frank, said: “Durham City hasn't had a pipeline of new office developments for a number of years, but we know there is demand in the market from occupiers that understand the city is a viable place to do business.

“One Milburngate creates an opportunity for businesses to establish themselves in the heart of the North East within a premium new destination, which will be a catalyst for other developments in and around Durham City that will help attract more employers to the area.”

Greg Davison, Partner at Cushman and Wakefield added: “One Milburngate will set a new benchmark for office space in Durham one that meets the changing needs of 21st Century business, not only through its design and exceptional infrastructure, but through its location too. Businesses will be able to capitalise on the many benefits associated with locating in Durham City, ranging from its unrivalled transport connectivity and access to a diverse range of skills and talents, most notably from the city’s outstanding university.

“It will provide the opportunity for employers to deliver an excellent work-life balance for their people, with its contemporary riverside environment and premium leisure offering alongside its position within the historic city of Durham.”

Milburngate Time-Lapse Update

What a transformation so far! This incredible time-lapse shows the great progress we've made on-site at Milburngate, as Tolent crack on with building the North East's finest place to live, work and relax.

'Milburngate Talks' Lumiere

As proud sponsors of Lumiere 2019, our latest 'Milburngate Talks' interview features festival director Helen Marriage, who sets the scene for what people can expect at this year's magical festival of light in Durham.

Lord Lieutenant Visits Milburngate

Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon was welcomed to Milburngate to view progress on-site at the city’s brand new office, residential, retail and leisure development.

Mrs Snowdon was given a tour of the 6-acre site, meeting with the construction team from contractor Tolent, which is delivering phase one of the development.

Sue Snowdon, Lord Lieutenant for County Durham, said: “This was my second visit to the Milburngate site, and it was impressive to see how the plans are starting to take shape, even in this first stage of construction. Durham is undergoing a number of key developments across the city and Milburngate is going to significantly boost the city’s economy in attracting businesses and visitors to the county.”

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “We were honoured to have Mrs Snowdon visit the Milburngate site whilst it is undergoing its first stage of major construction. It will be a milestone in the regeneration of Durham’s riverside and have a positive impact on the economic and social prosperity of the city and the wider region.”

'Milburngate Talks' Retail & Leisure

Hear more from our very own Neil McMillan about why Milburngate is set to become Durham’s most exclusive retail and leisure destination, where units are available to let from 1,100 - 9,000 sq ft.

Construction Underway At Milburngate

Recently appointed contractor Tolent has embarked on the construction of Milburngate in Durham City following an extensive two-year demolition and site remediation programme at the six-acre site.

The start of construction was marked by the breaking of ground by two local school children, Halle Robson, age five, and Alexandra Chilton, age eight, from St Margaret’s C of E Primary School in the city, alongside the developers, contractors and Durham County Council.

Phase one of Milburngate involves the construction of 70 percent of the entire Milburngate development, which will include a number of nationally recognised leisure operators including boutique cinema company Everyman, restaurant brands Bar + Block and Miller and Carter, as well as a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel.

Alongside its premium leisure facilities, Milburngate will also incorporate 5,000 square metres of speculatively built Grade A offices, creating capacity for more than 400 new jobs, and 153 built-to-rent apartments.

As part of the construction, Tolent will also deliver a new frontage onto the riverside and attractive public realm spaces with impressive views of the historic city.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by Durham-based property business Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, who together have already successfully delivered a number of strategically important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham City centre.

The development is supported by a £120m forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management, which is the first phase.

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “This is a major milestone in the regeneration of Durham’s riverside and future economic and social prosperity of the city. We are very proud to have broken ground at Milburngate and embark on a build programme that will create a regionally significant location that will attract people to Durham City, while creating and retaining important jobs.”

Ben Holmes, Director on behalf of the Richardson family, said: “Milburngate is a game-changer for Durham and will be an important asset for the city and the wider North East for generations to come. Durham City is a very unique location, with immense historical significance, but with a tremendous forward-thinking attitude and we are delighted to support the area with the development of Milburngate.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: "We are committed to ensuring Durham is a great place to live, work and visit, with a thriving economy, good job opportunities and plenty of places for residents and visitors to relax and enjoy themselves.

“Milburngate is one of a number of key developments across the city, which includes the recently opened Riverwalk development, Durham University’s £1bn investment plans and the planned re-development of the Aykley Heads site, which will significantly boost the city and wider county’s economy.

“It is important we do everything we can to attract new investors to the county. There is so much to celebrate in Durham right now, and we are seeing significant investment right across the county, including a £75m development at Jade Enterprise Park in East Durham, our recent £271m expansion of NETPark in Sedgefield, a £115m development at Integra 61 at Bowburn and our £153m expansion of Aycliffe Business Park, home to the Hitachi rail facility.”

Andy Mcleod, CEO of Tolent, said: “The construction team are now on site and we are delighted to be starting this fantastic project. A project of this size and significance comes with a responsibility to deliver the highest quality of construction outputs but it also comes with a responsibility to support and work with the local community and ensure we leave a lasting legacy that everyone is proud of and one that hopefully inspires future generations.”

Julian Agnew, CIO for the UK at LaSalle, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family to deliver this project and believe it will make a considerable and positive long-term contribution to the local economy and community. This is an excellent example of where the capital from our pensions fund clients can be well-deployed for a positive impact to kickstart regeneration schemes.”

'Milburngate Talks' with Liam Halligan

Respected economist and journalist Liam Halligan previewed his upcoming book, ‘Home Truths’ to a group of business leaders at a special ‘Milburngate Talks’ event.

Held at CoHo at Freemans Reach, opposite Milburngate, the event focused on the UK housing industry and the challenges facing the sector as well as the opportunities to boost home building.

Combining analysis with reportage, ‘Home Truths’ draws on extensive interviews with cabinet ministers, civil servants, planning officials and leading property industry specialists.  It will also contain some eye-catching policy proposals for regional and national government to boost housing development in the UK.

Liam, who writes a weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph and publishes his book in the autumn, talked about the role of Small and Medium-Sized house builders and developers have to play in delivering new homes and how government can better support an upturn in the creation of new properties.

He also praised the Milburngate development, highlighting the importance of city centre living in the housing mix, and the positivity that he experiences when he visits the North East.

You can find out more about Liam Halligan here: https://liamhalligan.com/

Milburngate Walks With Everyman

Members of the Milburngate development team have put their best foot forward to join staff from the Everyman Cinema Group on a nationwide charity effort.

The cinema employees formed several teams to collectively walk and cycle an 800-mile route linking up the Group’s entire network of venues, from Bristol in the south to Glasgow in the north.

This leg involved a team walking from the future site of Durham’s first boutique cinema, situated on the Milburngate development, to the Everyman cinema in the heart of Newcastle.

They were joined by Neil McMillan, Managing Director of iMpeC, together with other members of the development team, which is delivering the mixed residential and commercial development.

The nationwide trek aims to raise more than £20,000 in aid of MediCinema, which is dedicated to improving the welfare of hospital patients and their families through the shared experience of cinema.  

Work is due to begin later this year on the construction of the Milburngate cinema, which will feature stylish seating, a fully licenced bar, food, table service, digital projection and surround sound technology.

Everyman CEO Crispin Lilly, who also took part in the walk, said: “This particular section of our charity event is slightly more unusual in that we are visiting the site of one of our future cinemas. However, once it opens its doors, I’m confident that it will quickly become a popular leisure destination for people in the Durham area.

“We felt it important to include it on our charity route as a way of welcoming the city to Everyman’s national network of cinemas.

“I’m incredibly proud of all those people taking part in this tremendous effort, which is raising money for an incredibly worthy cause.”

Neil McMillan said: “It’s fantastic to see the Everyman staff here today visiting the site of their future cinema and both I and the development team are pleased to support this charity effort.”

 “The Everyman cinema will, together with a range of retail, high-quality restaurants and bars, shortly become a reality and create a highly desirable riverside destination contributing towards the regeneration of this area of the city.”

Should you wish to sponsor the walk, donations to the charity can still be made via the following link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/everysmile2019.

Tolent Announced As Milburngate Contractor

The Arlington Richardson Development Partnership has selected Tolent as its contractor for the construction of Phase One of Milburngate in Durham city centre.

The North East-based national contractor will begin construction in the coming weeks following the completion of the final site enabling works, which have been ongoing since January.

The contract includes the construction of 70 percent of the entire Milburngate development, which makes up Phase One of the project on the six-acre riverside site.

This announcement follows the project securing a £120 million forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management, which is enabling the delivery of the first phase.

Within Phase One will be premises for a number of nationally-recognised leisure operators including boutique cinema company Everyman, restaurant brands Marston’s Pitcher & Piano, Bar + Block, Miller and Carter and a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel.

Tolent will also build 5,000 square metres of speculative offices, creating capacity for more than 400 new jobs, as well as 153 built-to-rent apartments.

This major regeneration scheme in the heart of Durham City is the latest regionally-significant project Tolent has been involved with. Its resumé includes Newcastle City Library, Sunderland’s Beacon of Light and the UK headquarters of global financial services technology company Sage in Gosforth, near Newcastle.

The business has a strong track record in the North East and, having secured more than £120 million of work in the region in the last 12 months, it is ranked in the top five of contractors in the area.

Tolent is currently on-site at two other major developments in the North East, Hadrian’s Tower, soon to be Newcastle’s tallest building, and the extensive Vaux development in Sunderland.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by Durham-based property business Arlington Real Estate and the Richardson family, who together have already successfully delivered a number of strategically-important regeneration projects across the region, including Freemans Reach in Durham City centre.

Ian Beaumont, Project Director for Milburngate, said: “Tolent shares our enthusiasm for Durham City and our commitment to delivering a regionally-significant development.

“We undertook a very detailed and comprehensive selection process to ensure we have a contractor that is able to transform this unique riverside location into the vision we have for Milburngate. We are very pleased to have chosen Tolent and look forward to working closely with them as they begin construction in the next few weeks.”

Andy McLeod, CEO for Tolent, said: “This project is one of the most significant wins in the history of our business, and is testament to the skills, expertise and growth of our team not only in the region, but across the UK.

“It’s always a privilege to be involved in such transformational projects, and the vision for Milburngate is one we’re committed to delivering for our client, and for the community within Durham City.”

Milburngate Offices Wired Certified Gold

Plans to futureproof the first phase of our phase one office development at Milburngate, by ensuring it provides the highest level of digital infrastructure, have been endorsed by an international technology standard, which tracks the quality of broadband and telecoms infrastructure in major commercial property developments.

The soon-to-be-built speculative office building at the heart of the historic city of Durham has become Wired Certified Gold by New York-based WiredScore.

As a Wired Certified Gold project, the 5,000 square metre Milburngate office building’s design and construction will support ‘best in class’ internet infrastructure and superior internet connectivity with a high-level of resilience.

WiredScore, which was founded in 2013 in the United States, was launched to improve New York’s technology infrastructure and support entrepreneurial businesses that were driving technological advances and creating jobs.

Two years later WiredScore established itself in the UK, becoming the official Mayor of London Digital Connectivity Rating Scheme. Since then WiredScore has expanded, not only across the UK outside of London, but into other areas of Europe including France, Ireland and Germany.

The Milburngate office building, which will create capacity for more than 400 new jobs in Durham City, is part of the Phase One development of the riverside location that will also include a mix of nationally recognised, premium leisure operators and 153 built-to-rent, high-quality apartments.

Milburngate is being delivered in joint venture by the Arlington Richardson Development Partnership, which secured the £120 million forward-funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management for the construction of the first phase that begins later in the spring.

Allan Cook, Managing Director of Durham-based Arlington Real Estate, part of the Arlington Richardson Development Partnership, said: “Milburngate is part of the long-term economic prosperity of Durham City and this certification highlights our ambition to attract high-calibre office tenants that can create employment and thrive in the city.”

Ben Holmes, on behalf of the Richardson family, said: “High-quality internet is one of the main factors for tenants considering office space requirements along with location. Milburngate’s position at the heart of the historic city of Durham speaks for itself and now, with this certification, prospective tenants have the connectivity information they need when making their office decisions.”

William Newton, President, WiredScore, said: “This is a tremendous achievement and we commend the developers’ commitment to keeping the building at the cutting edge of technology. Achieving Wired Certified Gold demonstrates their dedication to meeting and exceeding their future tenants’ connectivity requirements to the highest calibre of technological superiority.”

You can find out more about Wired Certification here https://wiredscore.com/en/ .

Milburngate meets Westminster

Durham is a great place to live, work and invest. That’s the message the county’s leaders took right to the heart of government recently, where influential figures from the county, including our very own Allan Cook, demonstrated their passion for the area during a reception at the Houses of Parliament.

Hosted by Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, and organised by Durham County Council, the event aimed to showcase all that the county has to offer, particularly for businesses and potential investors.

Invited guests, who included financiers, investors, property developers, MPs, members of the House of Lords, Government ministers and civil servants, also heard about the county’s Powered by People initiative and #Durham19 Year of Culture.

Those in attendance included Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry MP and a wide variety of representatives from outside the county.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “Durham really is a fantastic place for so many reasons. For those looking to bring their business here we have some great locations supported by excellent infrastructure and a wide range of thriving businesses just waiting to work alongside you. Our quality of life is also hard to beat, with stunning coast and countryside, world-class culture and warm and welcoming people.

“But if we do want people to invest in our area and support our ambition for the growth of the county, we need to make sure they know exactly what it is that we can offer them. The event at Westminster gave not just us but many of the organisations who are already enjoying success here in Durham the chance to really shout about all that’s great about the area.”

Mr Wilson said: “It was a privilege to host Durham County Council in Westminster. Durham is a great place to live and work with some great businesses. I would strongly recommend businesses locate in Durham because they always receive a great service from the county council and are made very welcome by the people who live there.”

Guests heard presentations by speakers including Cllr Henig; Terry Collins, Chief Executive of Durham County Council; Anne-Isabelle Daulon, CEO of Eleven Arches, the company responsible for Kynren; Brian Archer, managing director of Business Durham; and Arlington Managing Director Allan Cook.