Bringing Hope to the Town

After a £35 million redevelopment and a change of name, it was great to have a nosey around Hopetown Darlington recently. Being just a stone's throw away from my house, I was keen to see the building works and renovation that had taken place over the last 18 months, and I was suitably impressed by the metamorphosis into a contemporary and technically immersive museum and exhibition space.

With add ons such as the imaginative Wagon Woods outdoor play area, the Carriage Works exhibition space, a new home for the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, interactive and digital guides within the former Head of Steam museum, and a new cafe housed in the attractive goods shed, it feels a very different experience to what it once was.

It is only right that Darlington should celebrate its railway heritage and I wish Hopetown every success in creating a focal point to attract tourists and bring greater wealth to the town.

#hopetown #darlington #HopetownDarlington #darlingtonbc #trains #museum #railway #SandDR @darlingtonbc @hopetowndarl