It makes you proud

Dec 5 2007 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

DURHAM Cathedral and Castle is the place which makes residents feel most proud in the North-East according to an online poll.

But other regional landmarks, such as Hadrian’s Wall, Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside; Bamburgh Castle; Alnwick Castle and Gardens and the Angel of the North were excluded from the Government poll.

Only people from six local authorities – Blyth Valley, Chester-le-Steet, Durham City, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Sunderland – were eligible to vote in the Connect to your Council Pride of Place Poll by inviting visitors to click and vote for one of 10 locally-nominated top spots on their websites.

More than 1,600 people in the North-East went online to vote for their favourite place in this first national council-led poll.

But the poll precluded residents of Newcastle, Gateshead and large parts of Northumberland including Alnwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale districts who chose not to enter.

Durham Cathedral and Castle is a world heritage site described on the Pride of Place site as providing “a spectacular view as visitors arrive in Durham and has been at the heart of the City for 900 years”.

Penshaw Monument and Seaburn Beach, both in Sunderland, came in close second and third place. Penshaw is described as ‘one of the North East’s most prominent landmarks’.

The top spots in the remaining four districts to enter were Ridley Park in Blyth Valley; Beamish North of England Open Air Museum in Chester-le-Street, the Transporter Museum in Middlesbrough and Roseberry Topping in Redcar and Cleveland.

Nationally the Neasden Temple (Shri Swaminarayan Mandir) in Brent received the most votes with 2,344 people going online to register their pride. Local authorities which signed up to the poll did so voluntarily and not every council in England was involved.

Carol Woods, deputy leader of Durham City Council, said: “Durham Castle and Cathedral are truly magnificent buildings and instantly recognisable.

“Residents of Durham can sometimes become a little blase because they see them every day, but they still have the capacity to amaze visitors, and publicity like this will help attract more people to our beautiful city. If the councils in Gateshead, Newcastle and other places chose not to enter this poll then that is their choice.”