Stanley Magazine

05/09/2026

📚 More than 1,000 free books were hidden across Stanley, Consett and the surrounding villages this summer, and families have been out finding them.

The Look-for-a-Book hunt was organised by local Usborne Partner Lisa Peacock, with 20 local businesses sponsoring the 1,050 books.

Children who found one could keep it or hide it again for the next family. Books have turned up in Craghead, South Moor, Lanchester, Burnopfield, Bridgehill and Chester-le-Street, and one found in Shotley is now on its way to Kent.

04/09/2026

Christmas Evenings return to Beamish this December, and tickets are on sale now. They go fast.

Full story in the comments 👇

04/09/2026

🎮 A County Durham band is in the Netflix trailer for the biggest game on the planet.

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI extended preview was watched 31.1 million times on Netflix in four days. Ten minutes and 42 seconds in, over the sunlit streets of fictional Leonida, the soundtrack turns into Prefab Sprout's Cars and Girls.

The band began just down the road, rehearsing at their father's petrol station in Witton Gilbert and playing St Joseph's Parish Hall in Langley Park twice in 1980. The village later travelled the world in the title of their 1988 album, From Langley Park to Memphis.

GTA VI arrives on 19 November 2026. Long before then, Rockstar has put a County Durham record in front of one of the biggest audiences in entertainment.

👉 Full story in the comments

02/09/2026

Plans are progressing for a new Stanley parkrun. A free, weekly 5k could be coming to the County Durham network.

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02/09/2026

Families across Stanley and Consett joined a summer reading hunt, discovering over 1,000 free books hidden in local parks and neighbourhoods. This initiative not only encouraged children to read but also brought the community together. Dive into the story behind this heartwarming project and see how books are still travelling around the region.

31/08/2026

North Durham Academy pupils have begun a three-year mentoring partnership with Karbon Homes and RE:GEN.

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28/08/2026

Miners’ Sunday and Stanley’s pit disaster memorials. Remembering the men and boys the town was built on.

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26/08/2026

If local buses do not work for you, this is the moment to say so.

How to take part: https://consettmagazine.com/consett-residents-invited-to-have-their-say-on-north-east-buses/

🚌 A month left to have your say on the future of North East buses.

The consultation on proposed bus franchising closes at 9am on Monday 28 September. Under franchising, the Mayoral Strategic Authority would take greater responsibility for routes, timetables, fares, ticketing and service standards.

No final decision has been made, and you do not need to be a regular passenger to respond.

Reliability, ticket prices, evening and weekend services, connections to Newcastle and Durham, rural routes: all of it is fair comment.

If local buses do not work for you, this is the moment to say so.

26/08/2026

Community spirit and heritage: a fortnight of positive news from the Stanley area.

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24/08/2026

Stanley bus station is set for a £2.5 million revamp. Here is what is changing.

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