Durham is being showcased to rail travellers up and down the country as a vibrant destination to live, work, invest, study and visit, as part of a campaign to place the county in the national spotlight.
A specially produced video of some of Durham’s greatest assets is being played on big screens alongside timetable boards at King’s Cross, Newcastle and Edinburgh train stations.
The video is part of This is Durham, Place of Light, a brand that has been developed by Visit County Durham, the destination management organisation for the county, core-funded by Durham County Council. The place brand aims to shine a light on the county, working to change perceptions and over time, develop Durham’s reputation as a beacon for businesses, visitors and residents alike.
The video at the railway stations shows off the county’s stunning scenery from countryside to coast including High Force waterfall, gives a glimpse at Durham’s cultural gems such as Lumiere and Kynren and shows snippets of scientists at work in some of the county’s ground-breaking businesses.
The roll-out of the big-screen video forms part of a wider programme to shine a spotlight on the county on a national scale, which included a celebration of the Durham Place of Light brand at The House of Commons earlier this week.
Leader of Durham County Council, Councillor Simon Henig, said: “Durham is a fantastic county and we are justifiably proud of the many reasons that make it such a great place to live, work, invest, study and visit, which is why showcasing all of those stories on a national level is so important.
“When it comes to our economy, we have a proven track record in attracting businesses to the county and are focused on providing them with the confidence and strength they need to grow, supporting the creation of more and better jobs.
“In just the past three years 20 multinationals, unique and niche companies have invested, and re-invested, in the County and we have supported over 3,400 businesses to relocate, set up or expand in County Durham; equating to thousands of jobs and generating £187m for the economy in the last four years.
“And we are also making great strides to showcase the county as a vibrant destination for visitors – last year we attracted 18.6m visitors and the value of the visitor economy grew by £17m to £777.5m.
“Providing a rich and diverse cultural offer in some of the most unique and spectacular backdrops is a key priority for us. We are proud to have hosted world class cultural programmes, such as the amazing Kynren; An Epic tale of England in Bishop Auckland and the UK’s largest light festival, Lumiere, which returns for its fifth edition in November.
As a whole package, there is no county more beautiful or inspiring than Durham, whether that’s to visit, live in or invest in.”
To find out more about the Durham Place of Light brand, please visit www.DurhamPlaceofLight.com