A former Marks & Spencer store in Durham city centre is set to be transformed into a new STACK entertainment venue offering food, drink and live music.
It comes after the Danieli Group's plans for the multi-storey site on Silver Street received the green light from councillors today (April 11). The popular venue owner has set its sights on Durham as part of expansion plans across the North East, building on the success of its Newcastle and Seaburn venues. Plans for a similar venue in Bishop Auckland have already been approved.
Although STACK is known for converting old shipping containers into multi-purpose units, the new Durham venue will see developers bring the former M&S back into full use. The site is currently occupied by the Yorkshire Trading Company discount store but only the ground floor is open.
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The new STACK site will feature a coffee shop, food kiosks, bars, and space for live music and events. A new rooftop area has also been proposed, with a new shop front design like other STACK venues.
Neill Winch, CEO of Danieli Group, said: "The proposal will support bringing back to life this part of the city by providing complementary multi-functional space that acts as a key attractor to it. STACK venues are successful in attracting both residents and visitors to not only the offering at STACK but to the wider area.
“Our experience has shown that, wherever a STACK is created, existing businesses in the immediate area also benefit hugely and we have no reason to believe this won’t be the case in Durham."
On the ground floor, there will be eight food traders and two ground areas surrounding a central seating ‘plaza’ area. A stage will host live music and comedy.
There will be four more food traders and two more bars on the first floor, with the second floor designated for a games area.
A licence to consume alcohol from 10am to 12am Monday to Thursday, extended to 1am on Friday and Saturday, was recently granted and includes an extension until 2am on New Year’s Eve and bank holidays.
However, some residents raised concerns over safety issues surrounding the new development and said the city centre already contains too many drinking venues. Speaking at a planning meeting on Tuesday, cllr Grenville Holland, of the City of Durham Parish Council, said: “STACK does not meet the aspirations of those who live and work in the city.”
Local members also argued that key public safety information was missing from the planning application, and warned that the proposed fire exit onto Moatside Lane is narrow and a danger to intoxicated visitors, particularly those wearing high heels.
Roger Cornwell, of the local civic society, the City of Durham Trust, said: “It is narrow, dark, twisting and sloping. Funnelling crowds into a confined space is a recipe for catastrophe. Anybody falling may well be crushed and serious injury or death could result.”
His concerns were echoed by Green Party cllr Jonathan Elmer who warned of a repeat of crowd crushes involving visitors, after the tragic death of student Olivia Burt, who died following a crowd surge outside a Durham nightclub in 2018.
Yet despite the concerns, committee members hailed the plan to repurpose one of the city’s largest buildings in a prominent location.
Cllr Carl Marshall said: “This isn’t just an establishment that’s going to attract stag and hen do’s, it’s going to really diversify the offering in Durham and the wider county.”
And referencing the other STACK sites in Newcastle (now closed but development on new site is ongoing) and Seaburn, he noted how they provide fun for all the family.
“They have added extra vitality to the location and they have been really popular with the public,” he added.
The proposal was passed by eight votes to three.
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