Former newspaper office revamp gets under way

The Northern Echo, founded in 1870, had been based in Priestgate since 1917

Scaffolding has been erected on a former newspaper office, as the main part of a £11m project to restore it gets under way.

The old home of the Northern Echo in Darlington, known as the "great daily of the North" has been empty since the title moved to smaller premises in February 2023.

Darlington Borough Council bought the property in Priestgate for £925,000 and is turning it into a skills hub with classrooms and office accommodation.

Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy, said: "This exciting project supports our vision for Darlington to be one of the best places in the UK to live, learn, work or invest."

The inside of the empty Northern Echo offices after the newspaper relocated to Coniscliffe Road

The Northern Echo first moved into the offices in 1917 after being founded in 1870, making it one of the town's most identifiable buildings.

Work to remove asbestos has been completed and this next stage involves restoring the building's frontage and installing a new roof and windows.

The building will have 12 classrooms, used by Darlington College and Learning & Skills Darlington, and 600 workspaces for businesses.

The Labour-led council said sustainability was at "the heart" of the project, with solar panels, battery storage and filtration systems to reduce waste water.

McEwan added: "The development will help local people have the right skills to be successful and will also offer superior accommodation for businesses looking to launch, grow or relocate in the town."

Peter Dees, from contractors Adavo, described it as a "challenging project" on what is a "difficult and complex" site.

"We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone to preserve the building's rich and interesting history," he said.

Footpaths surrounding the building in Priestgate and Crown Street will be closed until the spring, and three disabled parking bays in Crown Street will be unavailable.