Quality of Life

The beauty of North East England is that it has excellent access to city, coast and countryside. You can pursue a dynamic career here knowing that opportunities to unwind are only moments away. Wide, golden beaches give way to expanses of National Park, forest trails, lakes, moors and mountains where you have the space for your kids to grow and for you to be yourself, and the freedom to be as active or laid-back as you like.

North East England's thriving restaurant and bar scene has something to offer everyone. The region boasts a number of fantastic restaurants from bustling city centre brasseries, lively café-bars and fashionable family-friendly bistros. Everything from world cuisine to the freshest local produce is within easy reach. Fine dining is on the menu at the award-winning Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle, the Michelin-starred White Room at Seaham Hall in County Durham. And if you prefer to entertain at home, you can shop for delicious local cheeses, naturally-reared meats and seasonal, organic vegetables aplenty at the region’s farm shops and farmers’ markets.

At night, the curtain goes up on entertainment possibilities from rock to opera and comedy to classic drama. The Royal Shakespeare Company chooses Newcastle’s Theatre Royal and Northern Stage as its major regional venues, and both theatres regularly stage opera, ballet and drama. Comedy, bold new writing and contemporary dance sparkle in the historic settings of Alnwick, Durham and Stockton-on-Tees while the Sunderland Empire Theatre plays host to major West End productions. The Sage Gateshead has two of Europe’s finest auditoria, attracting world-class musicians, and the Metro Radio Arena attracts stars from Coldplay to Elton John.

In the south of the region, mima, the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, displays work by Hockney, Emin, Frink and Epstein. Further north, on the vibrant Tyne waterfront, the monolithic façade of BALTIC, Centre for Contemporary Art, houses internationally acclaimed exhibitions to challenge and stimulate.

The region is a real mecca for shopping. Gateshead's MetroCentre in one of Europe's largest shopping centre with over 300 stores and together with Newcastle's Eldon Square and The Bridges in Sunderland, houses all your favourite high street names.

Added to this the boutiques of Jesmond and Gosforth, Corbridge and Yarm vie with the designer emporiums of Middlesbrough, Darlington and Newcastl-Gateshead to offer the cream of international fashion.

But if it is fresh air you want, the region’s beautiful coast and countryside includes: the Northumberland National Park; two World Heritage Sites (Durham Cathedral and Castle and Hadrian’s Wall); two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (The North Pennines and Northumberland Coast); two areas of coastline designated as Heritage Coast; and Western Europe’s largest reservoir - all within easy reach of the region’s cities and towns.

A playground for sports enthusiasts, there are three leading football clubs, Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club, Durham County Cricket Club, over 90 golf courses, excellent sea, river and lake watersport, extensive walking and cycling routes, and a growing reputation for extreme sports.

You can find out more about more about what North East England has to offer at www.northeastengland.co.uk

Feel Right at Home in North East England

North East England’s has a diverse housing market and the quality of property available makes it an excellent investment. There is a wide range of homes to choose from, whether your style is contemporary or traditional. The compact nature of the region ensures that choosing a home in the country does not mean missing out on city culture and that an urban home is only a few minutes from open countryside and quiet beaches. Average commuting times are some of the lowest in the country.

North East England is home to superb private and state schools, many of which rank within the top 200 in the country. Our schools have the lowest pupil to teacher ratio outside London; this shows not only in the league tables but also in our children’s quiet confidence, ready laughter and eagerness to learn.

The North East’s five universities - Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside - attract over 84,000 full-time and part-time students. Together with the region’s 18 further education colleges, they bring in students from across the UK and beyond, fuelling the region’s talent pool and our international reputation in the fields of healthcare and life sciences, energy and low carbon technology, chemicals, automotive and advanced manufacturing and digital media and animation.

Visit the www.northeastambassadors.co.uk website for more information and resources to help with recruitment.