Major housing development provides a ‘shot in the arm’ for local hospitality businesses

Major housing development provides a ‘shot in the arm’ for local hospitality businesses

Hospitality businesses in a County Durham village are raising a glass to a major housing development that has boosted the local economy.

The arrival of new families at Homes by Carlton’s Middleton Waters development has given a welcome boost to local pubs, cafes and restaurants in the village of Middleton St George.

The picturesque County Durham village has so far welcomed over 70 new families as part of what is Homes by Carlton's biggest development to date.

And for local hospitality businesses, their arrival has already proven to be a real shot in the arm for trade.

"We are welcoming new regulars each week, and there's a real buzz throughout the village," said local restaurateur Leila Ghanadi.

A trained skincare specialist who worked in Harley Street, she opened the award-winning Leila's Authentico Italiano during the covid pandemic after her adjacent salon did a roaring trade in takeaway coffee.

"During lockdown, we had clients who said they missed our coffee as much as anything, so we started selling it from the door and everything grew from there,” said Leila.

"Since Middleton Waters arrived, it has really helped business and we are now not just a cafe, but between Thursday and Saturday, we open late and have skilled chefs creating real, authentic Italian meals.

"We have a lovely range of customers - including a lot of families - and Middleton Waters has really solidified the community feeling in this village."

Having forged a reputation over the last 20 years for building quality homes across the North East, Homes by Carlton is currently investing millions into projects throughout the region.

The Middleton Waters development will eventually see 198 homes built in the idyllic village, which is a stone's throw from The Devonport, a stunning 18th-century hotel, pub and restaurant.

The Middleton One Row venue is part of a stable of sites operated by the award-winning team behind the likes of The Bay Horse at Hurworth and Cena of Yarm.

Dog-friendly and with a stacked kids menu, general manager Jenny Porter said the arrival of families to the area has undoubtedly helped trade.

"There's always been a great sense of community here, but the development has brought so much. We've got some lovely families settling in and it has really helped the local businesses," they said.

"The venue has long been a family favourite and is a great spot for special family meals.

"We are really proud of our menu, and events like our monthly steak night have already been really popular with the new locals, and many also come in for their after work pint on a Friday or for their family Sunday dinner.

"We’ve seen so many new faces, and it really is a lovely moment when we meet customers discovering us for the first time.

"Middleton Waters has brought a warm energy to the area, and we’re proud to play our part in local life."

For Lee Bradford, Sales Manager at Homes by Carlton, these stories show how the development is more than just houses.

“Middleton Waters isn’t just bricks and mortar, it is about creating places where people want to live and belong, and create memories," they added.

"When you buy a home, you are buying a place within a community, and the stories from The Devonport and Leila’s show how developments such as Middleton Waters can help villages - and businesses within them - thrive.

“Every one of our sites is about more than houses. They are about people and the lifestyle that comes with living here.

"Middleton Waters is proof that when you get it right, the entire area benefits.

"That’s something everyone at Homes by Carlton is incredibly proud of.” For more information, visit: www.homesbycarlton.com/middleton-waters.