Stack plans new shipping container village in heart of Durham City

Danieli Group, which runs STACK Seaburn in Sunderland and founded STACK Newcastle, has submitted a planning application to convert the former Marks & Spencer store at Silver Street, Durham into a STACK leisure operation.

At the same time, it has also unveiled a project at Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, after being appointed a development partner by Durham County Council.

The aim is for both sites to be transformed into mixed use leisure venues which should provide a major boost to both locations and represents a multi-million pound investment.

STACK Durham will include seven street food outlets, five bars, a coffee shop, stage, communal seating and a roof top terrace.

The plan also includes a games room for competitive socialising which will offer a range of interactive gaming experiences such as shuffleboard and darts, using the latest technology.

The venue will create around 185 full and part time jobs.

STACK Bishop Auckland will be a new build over two floors with a retractable roof and will offer the opportunity for a number of street food traders to take up residence alongside three bars which surround a central plaza area with a stage for live music and entertainment.

It will also see a jobs boost for the town, creating around 120 employment opportunities.

While both schemes will be different from the STACK container villages in both Sunderland and Newcastle, they will both reflect the container brand aesthetics for which the leisure company is known.

The news follows hot on the heels of the Danieli Group’s announcement of opening in Lincoln in a former Argos store, which will see another high street unit transformed into experiential leisure space.

The STACK concept has been extremely successful, bringing in millions of visitors to the current sites and it is hoped that the Durham scheme will help strengthen the already strong offer for both visitors and residents.

At the same time, the aim for Bishop Auckland is to provide a much needed local amenity, which will give residents of the town an exciting leisure operation.

Neill Winch, CEO of Danieli Group, believes the two County Durham venues are the next logical step for the company.

“Durham is a city with an international reputation for its tourist attractions and history and is home to one of the top universities in the country, bringing in students from around the world,” he said.

“Also, Bishop Auckland is a town where we know we can contribute to local culture, jobs, enterprise, tourism and communities.

“We are in the business of transforming places, and we hope to be a catalyst for transformation in County Durham with a combined investment of more than £7million.

“We believe STACK will be a huge asset in both locations and will also give independent businesses in the area the opportunity to be involved as well as supporting both the day time and night time economy.”

Once work is underway, the hope is that STACK Durham will open in winter 2023 while work will begin next year on STACK Bishop Auckland with a view to launching in early 2024.

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming STACK to both Durham and Bishop Auckland.

“These exciting venues complement our ambitious plans to regenerate the county and attract visitors from far and wide as we shine a spotlight on all that County Durham has to offer,” she said.

“It’s fantastic that both areas have attracted this significant investment. With the plans set to create hundreds of jobs, it will help to boost the local economy.

“Meanwhile, the creation of these unique spaces that offer residents and visitors a combination of food and leisure will also help to revitalise Durham and Bishop Auckland, ensuring they remain attractive to those who live, work in and visit the areas.”