ARGAN completed its Bolbec logistics parc (Normandy) by delivering a second platform of 15,200 sq.m for a total built area of 30,000 sq.m ARGAN pursued its strong development momentum in the Normandy region with the delivery of a new site of 15,200 sq.m in Bolbec This is the second building developed by ARGAN in the business area (zone d’activité) of Bolbec St Jean two years after it delivered a 14,000 sq.m warehouse Bolbec is a buoyant territory at the heart of the Normandy region Twenty kilometres from Le Havre harbour and directly connected to the A29 highway the business area (zone d’activité) of Bolbec St Jean is an ideal location for transportation and logistics businesses.This is ARGAN’s second development in this business area (French ZAC) after it delivered a 14,000 sq.m platform today operated by DIDACTIC a medium-sized company specializing in the design manufacturing and marketing of single use medical devices welcomes the teams of DACHSER CONTRACT LOGISTICS previously based a few kilometres away in the town of Etainhus DACHSER is an international service provider for transportation and logistics operating in 70 locations in France with more than 3,300 employees An exemplary site from an environmental standpoint DACHSER pays particular attention to being an eco-responsible player when it comes to buildings operations The warehouse in Bolbec is made of two different cells of 7,500 and 6,700 sq.m completed with an office bloc of 600 sq.m It thus generates and consumes its own carbon-free green energy thanks to a photovoltaic power station coupled with batteries for energy storage with a capacity of 230 kWh.This equipment is completed by electric heat pumps that advantageously replace standard gas boilers which are very energy intensive and produce CO2 these investments drive DACHSER’s energy self-consumption to around 40% of its needs Greenhouse gas emissions are also drastically reduced: 1 kg/sq.m/year from 10 kg/sq.m/year for the same warehouse if it were heated with gas The remaining emissions will be compensated with an ambitious reforestation program in France Chairman of ARGAN’s Executive Board: “A strong economic network access to the major highways and local officials’ voluntary actions are the main reasons that convinced ARGAN to pursue its investments on the high-potential area of ‘Caux Seine Agglo’ A winning choice with the development of two sites in just two years” ARGAN warmly thanks its partners: Caux Seine Agglo 2025 financial calendar (Publication of the press release after closing of the stock exchange) Refurbishing Newcastle’s Bolbec Hall could be first step in a mission to build up region’s creative industries “This will be the cafe and bar,” said Claire Malcolm on the ground floor of a grand, deserted building in Newcastle she hopes will become an international powerhouse of writing creativity “We’re thinking of making it a wifi dead zone You’ll have to pick up a book or a newspaper Malcolm is giving the Guardian an exclusive tour of a forgotten 100-year-old building that is a key part of a bold project to propel north-east England to becoming a centre for writing and publishing The plan is to refurbish and convert the Bolbec Hall into a place its backers say would be the first of its kind in the UK: a space where would-be and professional writers Bolbec Hall Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianA coalition has come together to bid for £5m of government money to help develop the £14m project At its heart is a battle against the London bias of the UK’s publishing industries sees the centre as a first step in a wider mission to build up the region’s creative industries the north’s creative talent has been overlooked and dismissed,” she said but not everyone gets the opportunity to develop it.” Malcolm, the chief executive of New Writing North People should not have to leave the north-east to live their dreams that you might have an office outside London would have been absolutely outlandish The Bolbec Hall dates from 1907 and is next to the Lit & Phil, the largest independent library outside London. the Bolbec has been used by societies including the North East Coast Shiprepairers’ Association and the North of England Art Club which organised life drawing classes on the fifth floor On the first floor is a fabulous wood-panelled room once used as a coroner’s court Signage reveals the hall’s rich heritage Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianThe building was bought by Newcastle property developer John Wade who planned to create new office space until the idea of it being bought off him for the new centre came along “On one level we are the worst potential purchaser in the world,” she said “We’re charming but we basically don’t have any money John has been brilliant in giving us a bit of latitude.” The building has a wealth of original features with wonderful marble mosaic tiled floors over-the-top ceiling roses and a stone staircase straight out of a Hitchcock thriller The plan is that the ground floor will have a cafe and bar as well as what they hope will be the largest independent bookshop in the north of England Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters There may be audio studios in the basement office space for commercial publishers and charities and a floor where Northumbria University – a key partner on the project – would teach MA students Dotted around the building will be spaces for writers A decision on whether the government will back the project is expected soon it will unlock £5.5m in pledges from regional partners you can see into the book-lined grandeur of the Lit & Phil “I like to think of it like the past and future of books,” said Malcolm “Over there is the repository of our learning and here will be the engine for making new stuff “This building has a history of collective thinking which is important to us.” Malcolm said the nearest similar place is the Litteraturhuset (The House of Literature) in Oslo, which Malcolm visited more than a decade ago. She remembers speaking to the boss who said New Writing North, her organisation, had been a model for them. “I was really flattered but it also made me really depressed for England that we hadn’t done it. “Books are one of our biggest exports. We’re really good at it. They add so much to our international profile. Why don’t we invest in them like we invest in theatre or music or the visual arts?” Pat Barker and Mick Heron are among almost 90 writers who have signed the open letterProfessional writers have mustered in support of the campaign for a dedicated writing centre for the North An impressive 82 of these often solitary creatures have wielded quill pens pencils and any manner of digital gadgetry in a bid to loosen Government purse strings famous for her Vera and Shetland books and TV adaptations and screenwriters Peter Straughan (Wolf Hall) and Mick Herron (Slow Horses) The campaign, led by New Writing North, Northumbria University and publisher Hachette UK, was launched in the summer, championed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.  A bid for £5m towards the writing centre scheme has been lodged with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport with the outcome expected at the end of October.   Bolbec Hall seen on the left of the Lit and Phil in NewcastleIf approved the investment will unlock a further £5.5m from regional partners – enough to make the dream a reality The perceived new hub for the writing industries would bring the Bolbec Hall The location seems right – just along the road from the Central Station, a stone’s throw from the city centre and plumb next to the Lit & Phil the largest independent library outside Newcastle No doubt the authors of the Lit & Phil’s thousands of books many now denizens of the great writing hub in the sky would also cheer or at least grunt approval of the scheme Among those living wordsmiths backing it are novelists Not all now live in the region that produced the Lindisfarne Gospels the Venerable Bede and much more… but they see its worth Read more: New play brings ‘chilling portrait’ of Raoul Moat to Royal Court The North East, for all its associations with coal, shipbuilding and heavy industry, has always been a region of writers too, inspired by its rich history and evocative landscapes but not always well served by the literary gatekeepers. New Writing North, the new writing agency established in 1996, serves the whole of the North but has always been based in Newcastle from where it has striven to open doors for writers of whatever background. The writers’ letter, published below with all the signatories, speaks for itself.  It’s not known if they argued over the grammar. But if the pen is mightier than the sword, let’s see what 82 of them can achieve! We are supporting New Writing North’s call for Lisa Nandy and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to back a major new centre for the writing industries. After over a decade of funding cuts for the arts, now is the time to invest and New Writing North’s plan will bring transformation to the North.  Writing is an art that the UK excels in and it plays a major role in the Creative Industries – underpinning publishing, media, film, TV, audio, and spilling over into games, music, theatre, local news and innovations in VR and AI, alongside jobs in related industries such as communications.  For too long, the writing industries have been centred in London and the South East, creating an unbalanced eco-system, spread of jobs, and barriers to those in underserved and northern communities.  We want young people in the North to be able to grow up to be publishers, writers, and creatives and to not presume that they will need to leave the region to achieve their ambitions.  The UK’s publishing industry contributes £11 billion overall to the economy and the industry exports more books than any other country globally. International demand for UK publishing is set to grow by a further 20% in the next decade.   Bringing the writing industries to the North will have wide benefits for the writing talent here and will create creative, meaningful, and fulfilling jobs.   Literacy is proven to improve just about every aspect of life. People with poor literacy skills are significantly more likely to experience poverty, live in poor quality housing, be unemployed, become a perpetrator or victim of crime, have poor physical or mental health, and even lead shorter lives.  The Centre for Writing will support writing and reading initiatives in the community, as well as the professionals (writers and publishers) that create the content to be read.  Investment in the Centre for Writing and Publishing will revitalise the region, attract inward investment, and help train and develop a new generation of local talent, a mission backed by the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.   I am putting my voice to the campaign for a new writing centre of national import.   This investment can transform people’s life chances, unearth talent, and ensure the North’s creative voice is heard on the national and world stage.   Establishing a new centre for the writing industries in the North East is a vital first step to make that happen.  Ann Cleeves OBE, Crimewriter and patron of the Reading for Wellbeing project, North Tyneside.  Pat Barker CBE FRSL, (Novelist), County Durham  David Almond OBE FRSL (Novelist), Tynemouth  Terri White (Journalist & Author), Northwest England   Irenosen Okojie, MBE (novelist and Festival Director), London  Benjamin Myers, FRSL (Author and Screenwriter) Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.  Debbie Taylor (Editor of Mslexia), Newcastle-upon-Tyne  Tony Williams (Writer and Professor of Creative Writing), Northumberland  Amelia Loulli (Writer), Newcastle upon Tyne.  Dr Susannah Ronnie (Writer), Northumberland  Ian McMillan, (Writer and broadcaster), Barnsley, South Yorkshire   Sarah Hall, FRSL (Novelist), Kendal, Cumbria   Paul Smith, (Musician, Maximo Park), Newcastle upon Tyne  Louise Doughty, (Novelist and Screenwriter), London  Ishy Din (Playwright and Screenwriter), Middlesbrough  Michael Chaplin (Playwright, Screenwriter, Author), Newcastle upon Tyne  Dr Adelle Stripe (Author) Calder Valley, West Yorkshire   Okechukwu Nzelu FRSL (Novelist) Manchester  Jayshree Patel, (Screenwriter), Greater Manchester  Patricia Grace King (Author) MFA, PhD, Durham  Carmen Marcus, FRSA, (Author and Playwright) Redcar  Lisette Auton (Author and playwright), Darlington  Carina Rodney (Playwright and Screenwriter), North Tyneside  Dr Lucie Brownlee (Author), County Durham  Dr Louise Powell (Author and Playwright), Middlesbrough  Ian Fenton, Creative Producer and Educator, Tees Valley  Mari Hannah, (Author and Screenwriter), Northumberland  Alan Johnson (Author and former MP), Hull  Anna Woodford (Poet), Newcastle upon Tyne  Dr Jake Morris-Campbell, (Poet), Oswestry   Fadia Faqir, (Writer), Ushaw Moor, County Durham  Alison Carr (Writer), Newcastle upon Tyne  Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton (Novelist), Sheffield and Cambridge.  Julie Ward (Writer), Board Member, Culture Action Europe, County Durham  Lucy Nichol (Novelist), Newcastle upon Tyne  Lisa Matthews, (Poet and Content Designer), North West  Preti Taneja FRSL, Writer and Professor of World Literature and Creative Writing, Newcastle Upon Tyne  Vici Wreford-Sinnott (Playwright and Screenwriter), Tees Valley.  Margaret Wilkinson (Novelist), Newcastle upon Tyne  Claire Dupree Jeans, (Editor), Northumberland  Emma Layfield, (Children’s Books North Agency), Manchester  Mymona Bibi (Writer), Newcastle upon Tyne  Dr Rachael Allen, (Poet and Editor), London  Sunila Galappatti (Writer and Editor), London  Emily Wiseman (Writer and Educator), Newcastle upon Tyne  Professor Kit de Waal (Author), West Midlands  based at Newcastle\u2019s imposing Bolbec Hall The campaign, led by New Writing North, Northumbria University and publisher Hachette UK, was launched in the summer, championed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.  A bid for \u00A35m towards the writing centre scheme has been lodged with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport with the outcome expected at the end of October.   the investment will unlock a further \u00A35.5m from regional partners \u2013 enough to make the dream a reality The location seems right \u2013 just along the road from the Central Station, a stone\u2019s throw from the city centre and plumb next to the Lit & Phil No doubt the authors of the Lit & Phil\u2019s thousands of books the Venerable Bede and much more\u2026 but they see its worth Read more: New play brings \u2018chilling portrait\u2019 of Raoul Moat to Royal Court inspired by its rich history and evocative landscapes but not always well served by the literary gatekeepers the new writing agency established in 1996 serves the whole of the North but has always been based in Newcastle from where it has striven to open doors for writers of whatever background It\u2019s not known if they argued over the grammar let\u2019s see what 82 of them can achieve A CREATIVE CALL TO ARMS: OPEN LETTER  We are supporting New Writing North\u2019s call for Lisa Nandy and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to back a major new centre for the writing industries After over a decade of funding cuts for the arts now is the time to invest and New Writing North\u2019s plan will bring transformation to the North.  Writing is an art that the UK excels in and it plays a major role in the Creative Industries \u2013 underpinning publishing alongside jobs in related industries such as communications.  the writing industries have been centred in London and the South East and barriers to those in underserved and northern communities.  We want young people in the North to be able to grow up to be publishers and creatives and to not presume that they will need to leave the region to achieve their ambitions.  The UK\u2019s publishing industry contributes \u00A311 billion overall to the economy and the industry exports more books than any other country globally.\u202FInternational demand for UK publishing is set to grow by a further 20% in the next decade.\u202F  Bringing the writing industries to the North will have wide benefits for the writing talent here and will create creative Literacy is proven to improve just about every aspect of life.\u202FPeople with poor literacy skills are significantly more likely to experience poverty The Centre for Writing will support writing and reading initiatives in the community as well as the professionals (writers and publishers) that create the content to be read.  Investment in the Centre for Writing and Publishing will revitalise the region and help train and develop a new generation of local talent a mission backed by the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.   I am putting my voice to the campaign for a new writing centre of national import.\u202F  This investment can transform people\u2019s life chances and ensure the North\u2019s creative voice is heard on the national and world stage.   Establishing a new centre for the writing industries in the North East is a vital first step to make that happen.  Crimewriter and patron of the Reading for Wellbeing project FRSL (Author and Screenwriter) Hebden Bridge Tony Williams (Writer and Professor of Creative Writing) Okechukwu Nzelu FRSL (Novelist) Manchester  Lisette Auton\u202F(Author and playwright) Carina Rodney (Playwright and Screenwriter) Writer and Professor of World Literature and Creative Writing Vici Wreford-Sinnott (Playwright\u202Fand Screenwriter) We are updating our website to help you find information and access our digital services more easily Some pages may look slightly different or have a different web address however you will be able to access all of our services as usual and Sport (DCMS) has awarded £5m of its Cultural Development Fund to help create a new centre for writing and publishing in Newcastle upon Tyne.  The centre will develop the next generation of northern writers become a hub for the publishing industry in the North and be a place where residents of the region can discover their writing potential.  The campaign for the new centre was led by the charity New Writing North backed by local government and the North East Mayor with support from publishers including Hachette UK The new centre for writing will host programmes and events for professional and aspiring writers for those who write purely for the love of it and for those who want to try creative writing for the first time New Writing North has developed talented writers for nearly 30 years with enormous success Early recipient of New Writing North support was Gateshead-born writer Peter Straughan who won the 2025 Golden Globe for best screenplay for Conclave.  The centre for writing will provide the opportunity for New Writing North to extend programmes that give people of all ages and from all backgrounds the opportunity to discover their writing potential It will enable talented writers from the North to fulfil their potential and develop the skills experience and connections needed to help them break into the publishing who spearheaded the campaign said: “We are thrilled and excited that central government has chosen to support our vision for a centre for writing by investing in our region’s cultural economy and infrastructure Creative writing is the backbone of the UK’s world-leading creative industries which employ 2.4 million It also plays a vital role in wellbeing and public health The centre for writing will provide an opportunity to expand our work with communities in the region and to work with even more brilliant Northern talent It will also bring writers and readers together in a space which celebrates the power of storytelling.” The intention is for the centre to be based in Bolbec Hall Grade II listed seven-storey building on Westgate Road was designed in 1907 by FW Rich as additional offices for the Literary and Philosophical Society next door said: “This is the latest in a series of exciting investment announcements about Newcastle’s creative industries and an incredible time for our city We want the new centre for writing to have a catalytic impact on our cultural heartbeat with Bolbec Hall based in our city centre’s conservation area and Newcastle’s Culture and Creative Zone (CCN) known as Creative Central NCL “Not only will this help support talented residents in every corner of Newcastle it can provide a huge economic boost to the economy of our entire city region growth and opportunity for all as part of an inclusive economy I want to thank Claire Malcolm at New Writing North and Northumbria University for spearheading this project and for working with the City Council and Combined Authority to secure this funding for Newcastle.” North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “This is a big vote of confidence in the North East’s creative potential and will burnish our reputation as a leading region for the creative industries with new jobs and opportunities coming to the region in writing The centre for writing will help transform people’s life chances The North East is a region on the rise and taking its rightful place in the world - standing tall and proud on the national and world stage Plans show the centre will be the first of its kind involving a cross-section of nationwide partners – from the arts a floor will be dedicated to Northumbria University Students will be taught in this space so they can engage with other organisations within the centre This will provide unique opportunities for networking opening doors for them into the publishing industry The centre builds on the success of Northumbria’s MA Publishing co-designed and co-taught with Hachette and New Writing North which develops the skills and work experience that students need to work in this major UK growth industry said: “This initiative will bring the creative industries together with education and research to help build an inclusive economy A new hub for talented writers in the North of England will help drive social mobility by providing better opportunities for individuals from the region to engage with writing and publishing “It will grow existing - and drive new - research activity and networks within the industry it will support and create experiential learning opportunities for our students The UK’s publishing industry contributes £11 billion overall to the economy and the industry exports more books than any other country globally International demand for UK publishing is set to grow by a further 20% in the next decade.  New Writing North has worked with Hachette UK one of the largest publishing groups in the UK on various initiatives to rebalance career opportunities in publishing and the writing industries in the North Chief Executive of Hachette Book Group said: “We have got so much out of our partnership with New Writing North From sponsorship of the Northumbria University Publishing MA to career roadshows in schools across the region and from the Northern Writers Awards to the setting up of an audio studio in Newcastle we believe that we will collectively reach even more readers and nurture diverse creative talent if we establish vibrant publishing hubs strategically across the UK We are so thrilled for New Writing North on this major development and we look forward to deepening our partnership and establishing an even bigger presence in the North of England with this move.’ Picture caption: North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Newcastle City Council Leader Cllr Karen Kilgour at Bolbec Hall the intended site for a new centre for writing in Newcastle Ask for help if you haven't found what you are looking for in this site Get updates from Newcastle City Council and find out about the work we do where you live A Newcastle-based creative centre for writing and publishing will receive £5m funding from the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) as part of a £60m package for the creative industries announced by government last week The centre for writing is one of four cultural projects sharing £16.2m from the Cultural Development Fund alongside a new facility for glass making in Sunderland a music education centre in Sheffield and a cultural centre in Weston-super-Mare Led by New Writing North (NWN) – an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation – and Northumbria University the funding campaign for the centre was backed by local government with support from commercial publishers including Hachette UK Faber & Faber and Simon & Schuster Grade II listed seven-storey building near Newcastle’s Central Station DCMS said the centre is expected to support more than 100 trainees and attract 35 creative businesses to the city will host a variety of partners from the arts media and publishing while also offering affordable flexible workspace for writers and creative freelancers Northumbria University will occupy one floor and the building will also house an audiobook production studio creative space for TV and film producers and developers chief strategy officer at Northumbria University said combining the creative industries with education skills and research under one roof will help build “an inclusive economy” “A new hub for talented writers in the north of England will help drive social mobility by providing better opportunities for individuals from the region to engage with writing and publishing,” said Monnery “It will grow existing – and drive new – research activity and networks within the industry The project leaders hope to raise another £10m to open the centre by 2028 DCMS’s backing is expected to help unlock further funding from regional sources over the next two years NWN said the centre will be the first of its kind involving a cross section ofnationwide partners based in one single dynamic site “We are thrilled and excited that central government has chosen to support our vision for a centre for writing by investing in our region’s cultural economy and infrastructure,” said Claire Malcolm “Creative writing is the backbone of the UK’s world-leading creative industries It also plays a vital role in well-being and public health.“The centre for writing will provide an opportunity to expand our work with communities in the region and to work with even more brilliant northern talent.” which works with NWN on initiatives to rebalance career opportunities in publishing added that the two organisations believe that by establishing “vibrant publishing hubs strategically across the UK” they will collectively “reach more readers and nurture diverse creative talent” Calling the investment “a big vote of confidence” in the North East’s creative potential North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said it would bring new jobs and opportunities to the region in writing “The centre for writing will help transform people’s life chances and ensure our voice is heard,” said McGuiness You must be logged in to post a comment Faced with the difficulties created by shortages of many active ingredients caused by the Covid-19 pandemic the pharmaceutical industry has begun to consider a European relocalization of its production model Even before this unusual and unexpected situation arose Servier had always been committed to independence in the health sector having always chosen to maintain production capacities in Europe and more specifically in France So, Servier produces internally all the active ingredients[i] which make up its branded drugs This allows the company not only to guarantee complete independence in terms of supplies of active ingredients for our products but also to guarantee the quality and safety of our drugs by having complete control over the whole production process always with the well-being of patients in mind of active ingredients of Servier drugs produced in France Ninety-eight percent of the active ingredients of Servier drugs are produced on site at Oril Industrie and sent to the Group’s nine pharmaceutical production sites for branded drugs around the world produces almost 2000 tonnes of active ingredients created in particular for medicines in cardiology The Bolbec site is special in that it has at its disposal not only an industrial production center but also an R&D center dedicated to the chemical development and synthesis of new Servier medicines for patients and health care professionals of high-quality medicines which are more targeted Due to this historical attachment to France, Servier reaffirms that the industrial production quality of its medicines and the safety of patients are at the heart of its standards the competence and commitment of the Oril Industrie teams has guaranteed the quality of the active ingredients of our drugs from their chemical development to their distribution in more than 140 countries [i] An active ingredient is the molecule in a drug which has a medicinal effect Subscribe to email alerts to be informed each time a new article is published on the servier.com website By subscribing to email alerts, you agree to Servier's use of your personal data as described in the data protection policy. Credit: DCMS/XThe Government has pledged £5m to a new Centre for Writing a planned new world class facility for glass making in Sunderland The announcements came as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy addressed a creative industries growth summit at The Glasshouse in Gateshead (formerly Sage Gateshead) Establishing a Centre for Writing has been a key aspiration for Newcastle-based New Writing North for several years and the empty Bolbec Hall, on Westgate Road, was revealed last year as the preferred location. The Glassworks announcement goes a long way to addressing concerns about the future of creative glassmaking in Sunderland following the university’s decision to close the National Glass Centre in 2026, citing the prohibitive cost of repairs. The Culture Secretary – Manchester-born but a 2001 graduate of Newcastle University where she studied politics - chose the North East for a summit described as the first step towards delivering the Government’s creative industry sector plan, a key element of its industrial strategy. Kim McGuinness, Claire Malcolm and Coun Karen Kilgour outside Bolbec Hall. Credit The Bigger PictureShe told cultural and business leaders of the intention to “take the brakes off” Britain’s fastest growing industries – including design, TV, music, video games and fashion - and that “unleashing their power” would grow the economy. “It will create good jobs and it will create choices and chances for all of our young people,” she said. Alluding to its proud industrial past, she said the region was now at the forefront of Britain’s “cultural renaissance” with its “great institutions” such as Baltic and The Glasshouse along with The Angel of the North and the growing film and video game industries. That phrase ‘cultural renaissance’ was making a notable return here. Regularly bandied about 20 years ago, it has seldom been heard during recent times of financial restraint. “While governments of every stripe have appreciated the social value of our creative industries,” Ms Nandy went on, “we believe they have consistently under-priced the huge economic potential of industries that are already among the most powerful engines of growth. “And the under-pricing ends with us. From theatre to fashion, from advertising to publishing, the creative industries have grown 50% faster than the rest of the economy.” The Creative Industries Growth Summit took place at The Glasshouse on Friday Credit: DCMS/XShe said they accounted for one in seven UK jobs contributing £124bn annually and out-performing aerospace “Too often,” she told those gathered at The Glasshouse “you've done extraordinary things not in partnership with your government but despite it You've been knocking on doors in Whitehall for far too long with a clear message “You want stability to give investors the confidence to back you you want a government that is prepared to take a bulldozer to every barrier to growth we'll match your ambition and we are going to back you to the hilt.” The Culture Secretary said she had spent three of the happiest years of her life at Newcastle University during which she had been introduced to “the very rich culture and heritage here in the North East” Read more: Curated Culture 14.01.25 - Our latest what’s on recommendations “When I look around this region,” she said, “it is obvious to me, as it is to so many of you, that it should be the Hollywood of the UK with its innovation, its work ethic, its ability to reinvent and reimagine itself. “There is a reason why investors are clamouring to invest here - not just the creativity of the people and the strong regional leadership, but the beauty of the backdrops and the space to build incredible studios like Crown Works in Sunderland. “So it is extraordinary that for 19 of the last 20 years, only two regions, London and the South East, have had the backing and investment to make a net contribution to the public purse. “Trying to grow the economy while ignoring the potential in most parts of Britain is like trying to fly a jet on only one engine.” Learning from the success of London as a global hub, the plan now was to “turbocharge” the growth of the creative industries across the UK, thereby tapping into huge unrealised potential. There was, she said, “no limit to what we can do together”. In material terms, the Government has earmarked £60m for investing in the likes of video game studios, grassroots music venues and creative businesses. Accounting for part of that money is the £16.2m Cultural Growth Fund to which bids were invited by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Chief executive of The Glasshouse, Abigail Pogson welcomed the funding announcementsThere were four successful bids with the two major North East projects benefiting to the tune of £10m and with smaller sums going to Harmony Works, a music education centre in Sheffield (£3.5m), and The Tropicana, a cultural venue in Western-super-Mare (£2.7m). The North East has been identified as a priority region for creative industries (along with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Greater London, West of England, South Wales, Glasgow, the Edinburgh-Dundee corridor and Belfast). Additional funding, to be agreed as part of the spending review, is proposed for six mayoral combined authorities – the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and West of England – to enable them to deliver growth through the creative industries. Meanwhile 127 creative businesses across the country have been awarded a share of £3.6m through the Create Growth programme run by Innovate UK. The Culture Secretary’s speech was warmly received by cultural leaders in the North East. Abigail Pogson, chief executive of The Glasshouse, said supporting the creative industries was key to driving long-term growth and creating jobs. “What’s happened here in Gateshead, transforming a former industrial area into a thriving cultural hub, demonstrates that investment in creativity delivers real economic and social impact,” she said. “This announcement of support for the creative sector across the UK represents an exciting new era. These are the building blocks of a thriving sector that benefits everyone.” CEO of New Writing North, Claire Malcolm. Credit: Topher McGrillis Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, said she and her team were “thrilled and excited” that the Government had chosen to support their vision for a Centre for Writing. “Creative writing is the backbone of the UK’s world-leading creative industries which employ 2.4 million,” she said. “It also plays a vital role in wellbeing and public health. “The Centre for Writing will provide an opportunity to expand our work with communities in the region and to work with even more brilliant northern talent. “It will also bring writers and readers together in a space which celebrates the power of storytelling.” The writing centre campaign was backed by Northumbria University, local government and publishers including Hachette UK, Faber & Faber and Simon & Schuster. It’s envisaged that the centre will host programmes, courses and events for all kinds of writers, helping them to develop the skills and connections needed to break into publishing, TV and film. Clockwise from top left: David Almond, Peter Straughan, Ann Cleeves, Pat Barker and Mick Heron were among almost 90 writers who last year signed an open letter supporting the plans for the Writing CentreIf all goes according to plan, it will see the seven-storey Bolbec Hall back in use. The Grade II-listed building was designed in 1907 as additional offices for the adjacent Lit & Phil. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, another speaker at the summit, called the Government’s backing of the writing centre a big vote of confidence in the North East’s creative potential. It would “burnish our reputation as a leading region for the creative industries, with new jobs and opportunities coming to the region in writing, TV and film”, she said. Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour said: “This is the latest in a series of exciting investment announcements about Newcastle’s creative industries and an incredible time for our city. “We want the new Centre for Writing to have a catalytic impact on our cultural heartbeat, with Bolbec Hall based in our city centre’s conservation area and Newcastle’s culture and creative zone, known as Creative Central NCL.” Nick Malyan and Rachel Smith at the National Glass Centre in SunderlandBacking for the Wearside development was welcomed by Nick Malyan, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, who said the grant was recognition of the city’s proud 1,350-year heritage of glassmaking and its creative future. Sunderland Culture is working with partners including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland on developing Glassworks: Sunderland, a £7.5m facility to be located in the Sunniside area. “This is a significant step in ensuring Sunderland remains one of the few nationally significant centres of excellence in the UK with specialist facilities to create and produce in glass,” Mr Malyan said. Lisa Nandy speaking at the Creative Industries Growth Summit at The Glasshouse Credit: DCMS/XThe Government has pledged \u00A35m to a new Centre for Writing Establishing a Centre for Writing has been a key aspiration for Newcastle-based New Writing North for several years and the empty Bolbec Hall, on Westgate Road, was revealed last year as the preferred location. The Glassworks announcement goes a long way to addressing concerns about the future of creative glassmaking in Sunderland following the university\u2019s decision to close the National Glass Centre in 2026, citing the prohibitive cost of repairs. The Culture Secretary \u2013 Manchester-born but a 2001 graduate of Newcastle University where she studied politics - chose the North East for a summit described as the first step towards delivering the Government\u2019s creative industry sector plan, a key element of its industrial strategy. Kim McGuinness, Claire Malcolm and Coun Karen Kilgour outside Bolbec Hall. Credit The Bigger PictureShe told cultural and business leaders of the intention to \u201Ctake the brakes off\u201D Britain\u2019s fastest growing industries \u2013 including design, TV, music, video games and fashion - and that \u201Cunleashing their power\u201D would grow the economy. \u201CIt will create good jobs and it will create choices and chances for all of our young people,\u201D she said. Alluding to its proud industrial past, she said the region was now at the forefront of Britain\u2019s \u201Ccultural renaissance\u201D with its \u201Cgreat institutions\u201D such as Baltic and The Glasshouse along with The Angel of the North and the growing film and video game industries. That phrase \u2018cultural renaissance\u2019 was making a notable return here. Regularly bandied about 20 years ago, it has seldom been heard during recent times of financial restraint. \u201CWhile governments of every stripe have appreciated the social value of our creative industries,\u201D Ms Nandy went on, \u201Cwe believe they have consistently under-priced the huge economic potential of industries that are already among the most powerful engines of growth. \u201CAnd the under-pricing ends with us. From theatre to fashion, from advertising to publishing, the creative industries have grown 50% faster than the rest of the economy.\u201D contributing \u00A3124bn annually and out-performing aerospace \u201CToo often,\u201D she told those gathered at The Glasshouse \u201Cyou've done extraordinary things not in partnership with your government but despite it \u201CYou want stability to give investors the confidence to back you we'll match your ambition and we are going to back you to the hilt.\u201D The Culture Secretary said she had spent three of the happiest years of her life at Newcastle University during which she had been introduced to \u201Cthe very rich culture and heritage here in the North East\u201D Read more: Curated Culture 14.01.25 - Our latest what\u2019s on recommendations \u201CWhen I look around this region,\u201D she said, \u201Cit is obvious to me, as it is to so many of you, that it should be the Hollywood of the UK with its innovation, its work ethic, its ability to reinvent and reimagine itself. \u201CThere is a reason why investors are clamouring to invest here - not just the creativity of the people and the strong regional leadership, but the beauty of the backdrops and the space to build incredible studios like Crown Works in Sunderland. \u201CSo it is extraordinary that for 19 of the last 20 years, only two regions, London and the South East, have had the backing and investment to make a net contribution to the public purse. \u201CTrying to grow the economy while ignoring the potential in most parts of Britain is like trying to fly a jet on only one engine.\u201D Learning from the success of London as a global hub, the plan now was to \u201Cturbocharge\u201D the growth of the creative industries across the UK, thereby tapping into huge unrealised potential. There was, she said, \u201Cno limit to what we can do together\u201D. In material terms, the Government has earmarked \u00A360m for investing in the likes of video game studios, grassroots music venues and creative businesses. Accounting for part of that money is the \u00A316.2m Cultural Growth Fund to which bids were invited by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Chief executive of The Glasshouse, Abigail Pogson welcomed the funding announcementsThere were four successful bids with the two major North East projects benefiting to the tune of \u00A310m and with smaller sums going to Harmony Works, a music education centre in Sheffield (\u00A33.5m), and The Tropicana, a cultural venue in Western-super-Mare (\u00A32.7m). Additional funding, to be agreed as part of the spending review, is proposed for six mayoral combined authorities \u2013 the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and West of England \u2013 to enable them to deliver growth through the creative industries. Meanwhile 127 creative businesses across the country have been awarded a share of \u00A33.6m through the Create Growth programme run by Innovate UK. The Culture Secretary\u2019s speech was warmly received by cultural leaders in the North East. \u201CWhat\u2019s happened here in Gateshead, transforming a former industrial area into a thriving cultural hub, demonstrates that investment in creativity delivers real economic and social impact,\u201D she said. \u201CThis announcement of support for the creative sector across the UK represents an exciting new era. These are the building blocks of a thriving sector that benefits everyone.\u201D CEO of New Writing North, Claire Malcolm. Credit: Topher McGrillis Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, said she and her team were \u201Cthrilled and excited\u201D that the Government had chosen to support their vision for a Centre for Writing. \u201CCreative writing is the backbone of the UK\u2019s world-leading creative industries which employ 2.4 million,\u201D she said. \u201CIt also plays a vital role in wellbeing and public health. \u201CThe Centre for Writing will provide an opportunity to expand our work with communities in the region and to work with even more brilliant northern talent. \u201CIt will also bring writers and readers together in a space which celebrates the power of storytelling.\u201D It\u2019s envisaged that the centre will host programmes, courses and events for all kinds of writers, helping them to develop the skills and connections needed to break into publishing, TV and film. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, another speaker at the summit, called the Government\u2019s backing of the writing centre a big vote of confidence in the North East\u2019s creative potential. It would \u201Cburnish our reputation as a leading region for the creative industries, with new jobs and opportunities coming to the region in writing, TV and film\u201D, she said. Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour said: \u201CThis is the latest in a series of exciting investment announcements about Newcastle\u2019s creative industries and an incredible time for our city. \u201CWe want the new Centre for Writing to have a catalytic impact on our cultural heartbeat, with Bolbec Hall based in our city centre\u2019s conservation area and Newcastle\u2019s culture and creative zone, known as Creative Central NCL.\u201D Nick Malyan and Rachel Smith at the National Glass Centre in SunderlandBacking for the Wearside development was welcomed by Nick Malyan who said the grant was recognition of the city\u2019s proud 1,350-year heritage of glassmaking and its creative future Sunderland Culture is working with partners including the Victoria and Albert Museum Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland on developing Glassworks: Sunderland a \u00A37.5m facility to be located in the Sunniside area \u201CThis is a significant step in ensuring Sunderland remains one of the few nationally significant centres of excellence in the UK with specialist facilities to create and produce in glass,\u201D Mr Malyan said You are viewing your 1 free article this month to create a state-of-the-art Centre for Writing in Newcastle worth £14m through government funding and so "reposition the southern and London bias of the writing industries" The Newcastle-based writers’ charity has joined forces with civic leaders academics and industry leaders to ask for £5m from the Department of Culture Media and Sport towards acquiring and developing the centre matching the grants already pledged by regional partners The key partners in the plan are New Writing North and Northumbria University with the support of local and regional government and businesses and some of the country’s largest publishers It is planned that the Centre for Writing will be located at Bolbec Hall a Grade II listed building of historic importance which will be refurbished and "brought back to life" The total cost for developing the centre will be around £14m The coalition said: "The facility will support writing and reading initiatives in the community as well as professional writers and publishing businesses across the North It will be the first of its kind with a cross-section of national partners from the arts New Writing North already has a writing and publishing skills hub in Newcastle supporting skills and educational pathways and does significant work in education and across communities in the North East The agency said the new project "will dynamically connect the dots between skills The campaign is also urging for overall greater investment in the region’s cultural economy and infrastructure alongside the new facility This will "help make the North East the centre of creativity for the writing industries.. [and] establish the first national centre for writing to help reposition the southern and London bias of the writing industries," campaigners said said: "The cultural industries already play a huge role in our regional economy and this is growing This investment would help revitalise the region attract inward investment and help train and develop a new generation of local talent "I want young people here to be able to grow up to be publishers and creatives without presuming that they need to leave the North East to achieve their ambition." North East’s newly elected first mayor Kim McGuinness is also joining the campaign the North’s creative talent has been overlooked and dismissed Almost the entire British publishing industry is based in London and decision-making centralised in the capital "It’s time to abandon tired perceptions and the decades long control over funding and powers which stifles the nation’s creative potential but not everyone gets the opportunity to develop it." The campaigners hope that bringing the industry to the North East will result in major benefits to the regional economy and boost young people’s life chancers "More than 118,000 children in Tyne and Wear are living below the poverty line," New Writing North said over one third of children living in Newcastle are growing up in poverty A study undertaken by the Department for Work and Pensions demonstrates that being read to at age five is an important protective factor against poverty at age 30." In May, it was revealed that UCLan Publishing and Bluemoose Books are developing a Centre of Publishing Excellence at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston Sign in or register below for free to unlock 2 articles each month and receive personalised newsletters to your inbox.ORHelp support our journalism and subscribe with unlimited access.Subscribe from less than £3.50 A trial to reduce traffic cutting through local streets in Fenham ends on 8 September and will not be made permanent Several streets were closed to through traffic in March 2022 as part of an 18-month trial scheme to reduce the volume of traffic using local streets by rerouting through traffic on to more appropriate routes Using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders public consultation ran within the first six months of the scheme being installed With the trial period due to end in the coming days alongside data collected and feedback from the public and decided that the traffic changes will not be made permanent due to the displacement of traffic on residential streets The measures to close the junction of Queensway and Kingsway to through traffic as well as Gowland Avenue and Nuns Moor Road near to the junctions with Bolbec Road and Cedar Road will be removed by 7 September Having the closures in place has seen significant reductions in traffic for people living next to them on Nuns Moor Road and the north end of Queensway and Kingsway Data from the trial shows that while the main road network of Fenham Hall Drive Wingrove Road and Hadrian Road have all seen an overall intended increase in vehicle usage traffic counts suggest that through traffic is using alternative residential routes to access these streets rather than remaining on them This has resulted in an increase in traffic on to neighbouring streets including Queensway (south of Alder Avenue) Kingsway (at its junction with Fenham Hall Drive) clean city said: “We’re committed to creating cleaner greener and safer neighbourhoods and reducing the volume of traffic cutting through local streets is an important part in achieving this “Fenham was the first area of the city to pilot a neighbourhood low traffic zone trial and we haven’t seen enough evidence to keep it in place particularly with the displacement of traffic on to what should be quiet residential streets these schemes are trials which are really important as they allow us to try the changes in local areas and see what works for people living in the zone “We also know that some people will be disappointed but we’ve taken a lot of learning from the scheme and we have a good basis for refining a future scheme by listening to residents and looking at the data in more detail that each neighbourhood low traffic zone is unique as we use the data we collect alongside feedback from the public consultation in deciding on the long-term future of individual schemes.” Other permanent measures including those announced at the same time as the trial This includes a school crossing for Hadrian Road traffic calming on Wingrove Road and Wingrove Avenue and yellow lines at the junction of Bourne Avenue and Fowberry Crescent the junction tightening at Bolbec Road and Cedar Road will be made permanent; alongside further junction tightening for Gowland Avenue (at the Cedar Road and Hadrian Road junctions) to deter speeding The council will remove the closures at Kingsway/Queensway Gowland Avenue and Nuns Moor Road by 7 September This traffic data and discussions with residents will inform new proposals for the area which could be installed in Summer of 2024 A link to the DD is available here If you would like to give us feedback on our website, please complete this short online form Gorey GuardianSat 11 Jul 2015 at 01:00The Nazis stole Helmut Loy's youth his years as a prisoner of war (POW) and of a return to a devastated Germany rebuilding from the ashes of war Helmut and his wife Gisela came to live in Wexford in 2011 His son-in-law Karl Schmidt was working at Wexford General Hospital and their daughter Sibylle thought that her parents should live close-by So Helmut and Gisela left Italy where they had been living for many years had attended the Conservatoire in Nuremberg and was a fine pianist In Wexford he frequented the festival operas and concerts never left him and he was constantly looking for someone with whom to share his interests Asked about his first memories of the Second World War all the students in his class had to go to Nuremberg Castle at the end of the holidays In the afternoon we learned to work with fire fighting appliances like fire fighters At night we slept in the old Castle granary This had been a Youth Hostel for a few years there was no bomb attack in that time on the Castle he said real soldiers were needed to join Rommel in North Africa or at the Front in service against the Russian troops so youths filled the void at home in Germany 'That work ended in March 1943 at the Castle when on orders from above we received a call-up from the command of the Luftwaffe 'We had to go to the outskirts of Nuremberg where we were trained as Luftwaffenhelfer (air force auxilliaries) We lived there in wooden huts as it was a camp 'In the morning we had school lessons again we were taught how to work the flak (anti-aircraft guns) After three months we started to work on the anti-aircraft battery 'Russian prisoners carried shells and ammunition to help us because we got bread from our mothers when they visited us on some Sunday afternoons 'I remember an attack when we were shooting against the bombers A fire bomb exploded near our aircraft battery and one of our fellows was dead three of them at the searchlights were killed also.' he had to give up studying at the Music Conservatoire my good Latin professor was forced to go to the army and died in Russia Helmut said he and others had to go for a special course to the Reichsausbilddingslager (pre-military training camp) at Stegskoppf together with 500 Luftswaffenhelfer from all over Germany to study high-frequency technique because there was a possibility that I would go into the Luftwaffe.' 'One day I got a letter calling me up for the infantry to go to Poland to fight the Russians But then I got another saying that I was not going to Poland My cousin went to the Baltic and was killed there and the same would almost certainly have happened to me 'A very strange thing happened around this time I was on a train going one way to Berlin and another train came alongside going the opposite way to the eastern part of Germany Suddenly I saw my cousin on the other train and at the same time he saw me - for an instant - and then he was gone 'I was then sent into the Luftwaffe where I had to swear I would fight (for) Hitler I have to say I was never interested in the Nazi Party although my father and uncle were both in it Helmut recalled that as a 10-year-old he had to go with the Hitler Youth Nazi propaganda and anti-Jewish sentiment was endemic in the Reich at the time But there was always anti-semitism in Germany,' he said 'We had to learn all about him (Hitler) at school and celebrate his birthday every year I did not like all the physical activities and so they made a separate group for boys like me They put me in a special telecommunications department and so I didn't have to do sport Asked what his parents thought of what was happening in Germany as the Nazis became increasingly powerful Helmut said his father 'was in the Party whether he liked it or not he was later he was to lose it because we was a member of the party Helmut was posted to an island in the North Sea where newly-invented radar was being used in the fight against British and American bombers besieging German cities the British RAF Lancaster heavy bombers by night and the endless waves of American Flying Fortresses by day 'When the war ended we blew up all our equipment so the enemy could not have it I went into the kitchen looking for something to eat and I only found sugar There was a lot of it so I filled an ammunition carton with it and swapped it for other food and things 'About a month before this I met a German soldier who had escaped from the enemy and he had an American Colt revolver with him I had cigarettes and exchanged them for the Colt it took the same bullets as the German revolvers but when they were near Frankfurt they were confronted by a group of Americans soldiers who took them prisoner 'I quickly threw the revolver into a corner because I knew if they found it on me they would think that I had killed an American to get it 'We were held there for a few days and then trucks arrived with American soldiers who put the two of us in the largest prison camp in Germany He said he couldn't remember how long he was held at the camp my feet were frozen at night and have been so ever since A lot of prisoners died from drinking this water.' Later Helmut and the other prisoners of war were taken to France to a small town called Bolbec 'It was a transit camp where the American soldiers gathered before returning to the States They also shipped out German prisoners to the US to work on farms and so on but only from the outside because we were sitting on an open truck 'There we changed from being American prisoners to a French POW camp near Orleans The French needed German prisoners to help them clear the streets We had to repair bridges and streets which we - the Germans - had destroyed We used to take the sand from the river Loire We were transported on big American trucks 'Orleans was the principal camp were I stayed throughout my internment for a period of nearly three years such as in a factory producing electrical irons for domestic use 'There was an American unit besides the camp at Orleans and I spoke very frankly with the American there and one day they told me that they would leave France and they will go to Germany next day and "if you want you can come with us on our truck tomorrow morning" 'But it was during the night and the guard would not let me go out so I had to wait until he slept and then went out but I was too late because they had left already So I had lost the chance to be home earlier Helmut said his French captors didn't work him too hard but fed their prisoners only the bare minimum 'There were German cooks but they could only make soup from potatoes mainly. you queued up and the cook gave a big dollop of food inside your pot and if there was some left the last one got a little bit more Helmut said he was treated 'well enouugh' by the French 'all things considered.' One of his jobs as a POW was repairing radios for his captors 'We were wearing our old uniforms with a PG on the back and I had a stripe on my sleeve which counted for something because I needed to buy material for the radios 'I had some private money because every week we got a ration of tobacco and because I did not smoke And when I went into town accompanied by an Algerian soldier with his rifle There was a library at the camp and through the Swiss Government the POws were sent books and magazines through the YMCA who also sent manuscript notes and musical instruments and things 'An orchestra was started in the camp and the conductor was the former conductor of the orchestra in Augsburg the Unfinished Schubert and Mozart's The Magic Flute.' Helmut said that by the end of his third year as a POW things had changed 'and we were given greater liberties.' 'No longer prisoners we could go outside as civilians and I worked at Sully sur Loire. I was also able to work at a small workshop where they had a vapour machine on the same principle as James Watt's steam engine and they made electricity and also radio I made radios whilst my two colleagues put electricity lines into houses 'The French were friendly towards us and I made connections with somebody who owned a factory and he invited me into his home and so I had the opportunity to play the piano again It was the first time in a long time I had played in a private house These people were very friendly towards me and I remember it was a big case of wood and inside were the loud speakers and the tubes I had it on my back and arrived back in Germany with it my wife and I would take our holidays there and we tried to see as much of France as we could We also visited some French people I knew when I was a prisoner.' Helmut said he finally headed home in August 1948 when all the German prisoners of war were repatriated he said his family's situation was bad because his father had lost his job as a top official in the post office in Nuremberg 'He had to work in an American Prison Camp and my uncle had to work to dig turf like my father in Hammelburg 'Ninety per cent of Nuremberg had been destroyed and they were living in one room in a barracks in a small town.' Helmut said he was able to make up for his lost education at a technical university in Nuremberg where he studied there for six terms and got a diploma-engineering degree After obtaining his degree he joined a company in Nuremberg which made telecommunication equipment 'My experience from the war helped me in this Afterwards my father came back to the Post Office and got his old job back and we got an apartment in Nuremberg Asked how he felt about what happened to him and other young German because of the Nazi regime Helmut said none of them had a normal adolescence always having to change schools because they had been bombed and listening for the sounds of air raid sirens warning us 'The transistor had been invented in the United States and after a few years the company I was working with began to make them I had made an important invention myself while working there so the director sent me to the United States.' 'Despite all the bombing and cities destroyed throughout Germany people were amazed how quickly the country was re-built and functioning like never before This was because of the Marshall Plan (an American iniative to aid Europe following the war) and to some extent by the women the so called 'rubble women' the' trummerfrauen' and the general population as well.' Judith said Helmut had an inquiring mind and a sense of humour He loved to tell me of seeing Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady on Broadway At our first interview he began by telling me he felt honoured someone should wish to hear his story; to which I can only reply that it was an honour for me to hear it NewsNew adult ADHD team for Waterford and south east announcedA new adult ADHD team for Waterford and the south east will be located at the John’s Hill Primary Care Centre Northumberland seems to have it all: beautiful scenery a lively sporting scene and perfect properties the only way to get your hands on one of Northumberland’s much-prized small country estates is by stepping into ‘dead men’s shoes’ he’s happily bucking the trend with the launch in COUNTRY LIFE of the idyllic 327-acre Trewhitt estate (Fig 1) at Thropton on the eastern fringe of the Northumberland National Park who are downsizing after almost 30 years—and very much alive Knight Frank (0131–222 9600) quote a guide price of £3 million for the estate as a whole Georgian main house with 37 acres of delightful gardens pasture and paddocks and £1.2m for the adjoining 290-acre Netherton Burnfoot farm which the Nicholls bought in 2008 and generates several useful income streams the land is farmed under a grazing licence and a contract farming agreement which together produce an income of £10,600 The land is also registered under Defra’s Basic Payment Scheme and yielded £18,675 in 2014; future entitlements can be transferred to a purchaser for 2016 ‘Trewhitt is a wonderfully compact rural estate totally free from the blights that commonly affect rural property throughout the UK It stands on a hill overlooking Coquetdale in a natural amphitheatre formed by the majestic hills of north Northumberland—Simonside Rothbury Forest and the Cheviots—with phenomenal views that have remained largely unchanged for the past 100 years the mature woodlands around the house provide excellent shelter,’ Mr Morgan enthuses Mr and Mrs Nicholl were happily ensconced in the south of the county Mr Nicholl was driving by and happened to spot Trewhitt Hall in its magical hillside setting a friend told him that it was being advertised for sale in COUNTRY LIFE and but now that they’ve given up hunting and their three daughters are settled in homes of their own Mr and Mrs Nicholl have decided to move back to their old stamping ground they will miss the peace and tranquillity of this most unspoilt corner of Britain the Trewhitt lands were on the front line of the constant battle to repel the marauding Scots despite the best efforts of the local landowners managed to despoil the Trewhitt settlements in 1580 Trewhitt Hall and the High Trewhitt estate Sir John Clavering found himself on the losing side at the end of the Civil War as a result of which several Clavering manors were sequestrated in 1652 and only recovered on payment of heavy fines a year later the lands were split between the Smart family of Trewhitt and the Atkinsons of Lorbottle before Lord Armstrong reunited them as one estate in 1871 His descendants continue to own much of the land in the area with the National Trust also a major player JP and Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland further work was done to the house by the prolific northern architect John Dobson in 1830 a sales advertisement described it as ‘surrounded by a richly timbered park within the bosom of one of the most fertile valleys in England at the base of the southern Cheviot range of hills and in the midst of the most fascinating highland scenery in Northumberland’ designed with classic Georgian symmetry and bounded on all sides by beautiful gardens was structurally sound and in good shape when the Nicholls first moved in they have made a number of thoughtful improvements a breakfast/sitting room to the kitchen at the other and creating a couple of extra bathrooms upstairs Trewhitt Hall is comfortable and easily managed an elegant staircase with a signature Venetian window could be converted to provide extra accommodation and the two-bedroom Trewhitt Lodge at the head of the drive which is unoccu- pied and needs refurbishing Horses and hunting have been a core part of life in the Nicholl household and the equestrian facilities include ample stabling in the courtyard behind the house an all-weather manège and lush grazing within 17 acres of paddocks and pasture The estate’s devoted owners have also established a successful The perfect small country estate may be as rare as hens’ teeth in Northumberland but buyers looking to buy a country house near market towns such as Hexham and Morpeth which are within half an hour’s commute from Newcastle-upon-Tyne can have ‘the pick of the litter’ for between £1m and £1.5m says William Thornton of Savills-Smiths Gore in Corbridge (01434 632404) He quotes a guide price of £1.3m for Grade II*-listed due to its owner’s relocation for professional reasons which stands in 5.7 acres of formal gardens stabling and outbuildings overlooking open countryside a kitchen/breakfast room and six/seven bedrooms of the spectacular Bolbec Chase (Fig 3) at Whalton Park the magnificently converted Victorian stable block of the former Gallowhill Hall estate Set in more than nine acres of private formal gardens the property offers 21st-century living in a grand parkland setting with equestrian involvement on a realistic scale a passionate follower of the ‘sport of kings’ Bolbec Chase was bought in 2000 by its current owner and imaginatively remodelled to create a state-of-the-art country house with seven reception rooms a split-level family kitchen and a self-contained four-bedroom lodge An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for