Top North East stories this week - including Cleveland Bridge

The major announcement from Cleveland Bridge was a huge shock for Darlington, and the sad news of care home Covid deaths in the region was revealed for the first time. 

Meanwhile, an exciting bid was launched for County Durham to become the City of Culture 2025.

We have rounded up some of the top stories that you might have missed, including the ITV interview with Barnard Castle's favourite; Dominic Cummings. 

COUNTY DURHAM'S CITY OF CULTURE BID

A bid to name County Durham as the City of Culture 2025 was launched this week. 

The aim is to secure the title for Durham, both the county and the city, meaning people and communities across the county would benefit from a national spotlight being turned on the area’s vast and varied landscape, heritage and cultural offer.

This follows the announcement that, for the first time, groups of towns are able to work together to submit joint bids.

Read more here. 

CLEVELAND BRIDGE

On Wednesday our Business Editor Mike Hughes broke the news that Darlington-based Cleveland Bridge called in administrators and 230 workers were told that their jobs were at risk. 

The company's vast headquarters on Yarm Road has been a symbol of engineering excellence for generations and the news sent shockwaves across the region.

READ MORE: 7 bridges (and a famous arch) built by Darlington's Cleveland Bridge

A spokesperson for the company said: "HR1 notices have been registered and all 230 staff have been informed about potential redundancies.

"We are actively taking advice and looking at all opportunities." 

The following day we published six key questions we were still looking for answering on the firm's future. These are still left unanswered. 

Administrators later revealed that Covid was to blame for the business' difficulties. Read more here. 

DOMINIC CUMMINGS INTERVIEW 

Dominic Cummings was interviewed by ITV's Laura Kunesburg on Tuesday.

Speaking of his trip to Durham he said he did not ignore the rules by travelling to the North East with coronavirus and then driving to Barnard Castle to “test his eyesight”

Mr Cummings, who left No 10 in the autumn after a power struggle, also accused Mr Johnson of not having a plan and said he “doesn’t know how to be Prime Minister”. 

Read more here. 

FREEDOM WEEK BEGAN WITH NIGHTCLUBS OPENING

There were dramatic scenes across the North East as nightclubs reopened for the first time since restrictions began.

Huge queues formed outside nightclubs in Newcastle as they waited for 'Freedom Day' to arrive - with the easing of almost all restrictions on July 19.

Outside clubs including Powerhouse and Grey's Club in the city centre, almost mile-long queues formed as restrictions on social distancing were officially relaxed.

See more pictures here. 

THE WORST AFFECTED NORTH EAST CARE HOMES FOR COVID DEATHS 

The care homes that were worst affected by Covid were revealed for the first time.

In the North East, 2,982 care home residents died with the virus between 10 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

A further 507 care home residents died with Covid in North Yorkshire. 

Read more here.

LEGIONELLA FOUND AT DARLINGTON HOSPITAL 

The showers on a hospital's maternity unit will not be in use for weeks after special equipment was installed to stop legionella from entering its water system.

The filtering equipment had to be installed at Darlington Memorial Hospital after elevated levels of legionella was discovered during routine testing of water samples on the site.

A spokeswoman for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said no infections linked to the bacteria – which can cause Legionnaires' disease – had been identified in either current or recently discharged patients, adding that the situation was being monitored. 

Read more reactions here.