EXCLUSIVE: As soon as a mining city, this underrated seaside city has lovely seashores, plenty of impartial retailers, and is world well-known for its sea glass.
Seaham in County Durham is a hidden gem (Picture: Andy Commins)
Situated on the County Durham shoreline the place the North Sea stretches endlessly to the horizon, the city carries a quiet sense of resilience formed by its previous. As soon as a mining neighborhood with three coal mines, its identification was lengthy tied to the collieries that dominated each the panorama and day by day life. When these industries disappeared, Seaham confronted the identical challenges as many cities throughout the North East. But its coastal setting has supplied the foundations for renewal. In the present day, the seafront has change into its beating coronary heart, the place clear, open area, crashing waves and the glint of sea glass draw each native residents and guests year-round.
The transformation is most seen alongside the promenade and harbour, the place cafés, impartial retailers and strolling routes now line a shoreline that was as soon as industrial. Seashores equivalent to Seaham Seashore and Blast Seashore supply sweeping views, dramatic cliffs and quieter, extra rugged stretches of shoreline. These seashores will not be solely scenic however world-famous for his or her sea glass – clean, vibrant fragments of glass formed by many years within the ocean. As soon as discarded by the city’s glassworks business, these items have been reworked by the tide into small, polished gems.
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It’s alongside this revitalised stretch of shoreline that one of many city’s most putting landmarks comes into view. The Tommy sculpture (formally named 1101) sits quietly overlooking the ocean, its presence each delicate and highly effective towards the open horizon. Created by Ray Lonsdale, the metal determine of a First World Struggle soldier captures a second of deep reflection, its bowed head and clasped palms evoking the emotional toll of battle. Initially supposed as a short lived set up, it struck such a chord with the general public that it was secured as a everlasting function after a committee of native residents raised the £102,000 wanted to buy it for the city.
The city has simply welcomed its first direct rail hyperlink to London. The brand new service operated by Grand Central now runs 4 direct companies per day in every route and is predicted to draw many guests as summer time approaches.
Seaham has some lovely seashores (Picture: Andy Commins)
Maureen Clasper grew up in Seaham (Picture: Andy Commins)
Maureen Clasper, who grew up in Seaham and now lives in Northumberland, nonetheless speaks with real affection for the city, describing it as “a beautiful place to dwell” and “a pleasant place”.
She remembers rising up when “each pub down was all the time chock-a-block” and weekends have been lively, however acknowledges issues have modified. “I don’t assume wherever is like that now,” she says, pointing to wider shifts affecting excessive streets nationwide.
But, Ms Clasper highlighted the seafront as a selected draw and really useful native favourites equivalent to Gills for fish and chips, a family-run and award-winning enterprise in addition to The Lamp Room, a seafood restaurant perched on the harbour.
Tom Wilson, recognized for his appearances on Celebs Go Relationship and extra just lately I’m a Celeb in 2025 was really seen at The Lamp Room a number of days in the past.
She additionally notes that Dalton Park, the North East’s largest outlet procuring centre, stays a busy vacation spot, including that close by Dancing Betty is one other great spot to go to.
Ann Stewart proprietor of Seaside Stylish on Seaham Harbour Marina (Picture: Andy Commins)
Seaham Harbour Marina is a multi-award successful marina and the one one within the county (Picture: Andy Commins)Ann Stewart, who has run Seaside Stylish for round 10 years, is Seaham via and thru. She greeted us with unbelievable heat at her Harbour Marina store which seems immediately out over a sea that was glowing fantastically on such a transparent, sunny day.Her store sells a spread of items, together with candles, diffusers, domestically made items, sea glass jewelry and pictures of Tommy, the city’s putting metal sculpture of a First World Struggle soldier overlooking the seafront.
She mentioned: “I am a Seaham woman. It’s lovely and it’s modified a lot.” She described how the city has modified from being a mining village to an more and more fashionable seaside city.
“It is a lot cleaner, the ocean’s cleaner, the air, every little thing, and so many vacationers come now the place you by no means, ever had that earlier than.”
For Ms Stewart, it’s the those that make Seaham stand out. She instructed the Specific: “The individuals are so pleasant and I feel that is what makes Seaham. The individuals are so good and all people who comes says that – ‘We love the individuals, they’re so pleasant.’ They chat with you though you do not know them, and I feel that is the most effective issues about Seaham.”
She mentioned the arrival of the Tommy sculpture has helped draw extra guests. The enterprise proprietor added that some individuals come from everywhere in the world for the city’s well-known seaglass, from Australia to Hawaii, and the city will get busier and livelier within the summertime.
Ms Stewart highlighted the power of impartial companies, particularly alongside the seafront. “I feel lots of people want to come and open extra companies, however there are not any empty premises.”
Alongside the seafront, she additionally mentioned there is a vast selection of pubs and locations to eat, together with fish and chips store Downey’s, which she ranks among the many prime 5 within the UK, in addition to the award-winning ice cream parlour Lickety Break up and neighbouring Nicey Icey.
Ms Steward described the marina as “the jewel within the crown,” significantly in summer time, and really useful visiting Nostril’s Level, Seaham Seashore and Blast Seashore, the latter which was featured within the opening scenes of the movie Alien 3.
She additionally talked about The Coalface, a pub on the backside of Church Road, as an incredible spot to take pleasure in a pint and a few dwell music. On the again, Pizza Slice provides pizza alongside drinks and will get significantly busy at weekends, with queues usually forming, she mentioned.
Ms Stewart mentioned the model new direct practice line from Seaham to London shall be nice for the city and it’s anticipated to deliver much more guests to the city this summer time.
Butcher Craig Fraser (Picture: Andy Commins)
Church Road in Seaham was very busy the day the Specific visited (Picture: Andy Commins)
Seaham Seaside Market is a weekly market held each Friday on Church Road (Picture: Andy Commins)
Craig Fraser runs Frasers Meats along with his son and holds a busy stall at a number of markets within the space together with Seaham which he described to be an excellent market with “loads of individuals strolling round.” He added that Seaham is a “busy little city” with a “totally different number of stalls.”
Mr Fraser instructed the Specific: “There’s a complete lot of retailers and pubs for individuals who need to go there, florists, there is a sandwich and pasta store as effectively. It is a good city centre.
He added: “It is good. I take pleasure in coming right here.
“You may see for your self up there,” he mentioned, pointing to the excessive road, “There’s loads of individuals and it is busy.”
Jac Seery Howard on the Edan Gallery in Seaham (Picture: Andy Commins)
Jac Seery Howard is an artist and co-chair of EDAN Gallery positioned proper on the seafront on the finish of Church Road. It’s the solely devoted artwork gallery in East Durham. EDAN stands for the East Durham Artists’ Community which was shaped in 2004 and is a voluntary group of East Durham skilled and newbie artists working in all kinds of media.
She mentioned: “We love having a gallery in our personal city. It’s fantastic to have an actual artwork gallery in our hometown.”
Ms Howard, who grew up in Seaham with a father who labored within the mines, spoke of the city’s transformation. When the three native pits closed, the first revenue for the complete neighborhood vanished. The city was closely affected by the closure of the coal mining business, which brought on job losses and a decline within the excessive road.
“After I left off to varsity, every little thing was closing down [..] however as a result of we’re rooted on the coast, there was an opportunity that tourism might rescue us.”
There are nonetheless points like empty retailers and absentee landlords, and a few uncared for properties, extra within the outdated city, she mentioned, which actually contrasts with the seafront space that’s far more vibrant and crammed with companies and cafés.
Nonetheless, she mentioned: “However I’d say it’s a city on the rise. Our first exhibition was in February, and we had 421 guests.”
With a bid for City of Tradition 2028 on the horizon and plans to remodel the Greek-columned Londonderry Institute right into a heritage centre, Seaham is not only a former mining city, it’s turning into a cultural vacation spot in its personal proper, based on Ms Howard.
On the artwork gallery, free exhibitions are held all year long in a spread of topics agreed by EDAN members. The Kelp exhibition is presently happening on the gallery till April 25. Created by EDAN Artists in partnership with Stronger Shores, the aim is to lift neighborhood consciousness of the Defra initiative via artwork. The challenge is funded by Defra (the Division for Setting, Meals & Rural Affairs) as a part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes and the artists used a variety of media from textiles and ceramics to glasswork. The artworks have been impressed by kelp forests and their function in defending coastlines.
The exhibition focuses on kelp as an missed instrument to combat coastal erosion. It’s the fruits of a year-long analysis challenge funded by Defra and the Setting Company. Ms Howard instructed us that the East Yorkshire coast has misplaced 258 villages since Roman occasions to the ocean.
However some of the engaging factors for Seaham is its property costs. On the time of writing, at least 11 homes have been up on the market for £85,000 or much less, and 10 have been priced between £90,000 and £100,000.
Helen Wall, director at Bradley Corridor Sunderland and managing director at Bradley Corridor’s nationwide Auctions enterprise instructed the Specific: “Seaham’s property market continues to display robust resilience, underpinned by sustained demand, improved connectivity and its distinctive coastal enchantment. The introduction of a direct rail hyperlink to London has considerably elevated the city’s profile, attracting each patrons and renters in search of an enhanced high quality of life with out compromising on transport hyperlinks.
“Our Sunderland workplace is experiencing firsthand how this elevated curiosity is translating into constant exercise throughout a spread of property sorts. Over the previous 12 months, the typical property worth in Seaham reached £168,240, with terraced properties averaging £111,208, semi-detached properties at £154,548 and indifferent properties at £299,965. Whereas costs have seen a modest year-on-year adjustment of round 1%, they continue to be above the 2021 peak—reinforcing the world’s underlying stability.
“Ongoing funding can also be taking part in a key function in Seaham’s progress. Developments equivalent to Seaham Backyard Village are serving to to fulfill demand, whereas the city centre continues to carry out effectively, sustaining comparatively low emptiness charges in comparison with different components of County Durham. Drawing on our experience in each native property company and nationwide property auctions, we recognise that these mixed elements are positioning Seaham as an more and more engaging location for owners, landlords and traders alike—providing each quick alternatives and long-term potential.”
With its rising cultural scene, lovely seashores, and a robust neighborhood spirit, Seaham is a city value visiting and a spot residents are proud to name dwelling.
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