Regeneration project brings a burst of colour to the streets of Darlington

This article was published on May 24, 2021

Darlington Borough Council is one of the first of 100 areas in the country to secure funding from the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund, which aims to ‘level up our regions’ after the Covid-19 pandemic.

One part of Darlington’s plan is to regenerate Skinnergate and the adjoining yards, the historic heart of the town, in order to encourage people back into the town centre to live and frequent the abundant shops and eateries that’s on offer.

Clark’s Yard and Buckton’s Yard have quite the history, once inhabited by Darlington’s elite, they later became cramped homes of the workers. The characteristic finkle on Clark’s Yard was created from extra buildings being squeezed in from the gardens of houses on Skinnergate and High Row. The area would have been a hive of activity, the heart of the community and the lifeblood of the town.

In 1900, Darlington attempted an overhaul of the two yards, the houses were closed down, and the inhabitants moved out. The area then became more industrial, with warehouses and workshops now occupying the space.

More recently, students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College created pieces of artwork for the Art in the Yard initiative which added vibrancy and colour to the area. However, more needed to be completed in order to attract people to the area.

The regeneration journey Darlington has set out not only ensures that the town will have a strong economic and sustainable future, but pays homage to the rich history and culture the area has to offer. The yards are a thoroughfare to the main high street and so will be accessed by many people. Darlington Borough Council put the Manufacture and Installation of Bespoke entrance doors out to tender; we were pleased to be successful. 

Our work

We were delighted to be involved with Darlington’s heritage scheme, and were praised for our competence, experience and unrivalled quality; something which we take great pride in.

Our role within the regeneration project was to create 17 custom timber doors and 1 timber window. The designs of the doors were to be in keeping with the age of the properties, but would be a range of bright, bold colours to add interest and energy to the area. We loved this brief and couldn’t wait to commence the work. It was also a fantastic opportunity for our apprentices to learn the important skills required when working on a heritage scheme. One of our apprentices was involved in the manufacturing of the doors, while the other assisted with the installation.

We’re proud to say that our heritage doors are manufactured using traditional methods with skilled craftsmen. We work with the finest redwood timber, sustainably sourced from Europe, use ironmongery and hardware from industry-leading manufacturers, and embrace cutting edge glazing and thermal efficiency technology to deliver long-lasting looks and performance. 

Take a look at some of the doors we installed for this project…

The Rockingham

The Rockingham door is designed to make a statement, which is exactly what was achieved with these bright, beautiful and bold colours. The Georgian inspired design compliments the age of the property perfectly, enhancing the kerb appeal of the buildings.

The York

The York door is a modern take on a classic, the heritage bolection moulding creates a traditional look which is sympathetic to the history of the property. We love the contrast of the light, bright door against the patina of the brickwork. We think the end result is truly stunning.

‘Having been successfully appointed to DBC Dynamic Procurement Service 8 months ago, this was the first project we were invited to tender for in our specialist area. from the original design information at tender stage, we knew we could deliver exactly what the stakeholders were hoping for and worked incredibly hard in providing supporting information demonstrating this. Since the successful delivery of this project, we have competitively tendered and subsequently been instructed on the replacement of three shop fronts in the adjacent Post House Wynd for the same Heritage Scheme, which we are dying to get our teeth into.’

– Phillip Wall, Commercial Manager

If the yards of Darlington could talk, they’d have great tales to tell. Walking down the alleys is a step back in history, and we’re tremendously honoured that our doors will be a part of the story for years to come.

If you have a restoration project you’d like to discuss, get in touch with our team on 01642 456167 or email us at sales@erwltd.co.uk.