Black Diamond Day of Dance 2025
Black Diamond Mixed Morris
April 12th 2025
Welcome to our Sixth Day of Dance.
We hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are.
We would love to welcome you to Meet and Greet drinks in the House of Hop on Houndgate from 7.30 on Friday evening
For main event, Meeting time and place will be 10.00 at the Dolphin Leisure Centre.
We will start dancing at 10.30
Getting to us: If you are arriving by train the town centre is a short walk (or taxi ride) from the Railway Station. Across the ring road, aim for the big church then walk through the church yard to the market square.
If you are arriving by car, it’s recommended you park in the Feethams Multi Story car park DL1 1ND. Cost: £1.00 per hour Max 10 Hours.
Food and Drink:
For drink and food there are plenty of pubs and bars around the town centre as well as the usual collection of Gregg's, Cooplands, and assorted sandwich shops. For those lucky enough to be near Skinner gate at lunch time then there is the Legendary Taylor's pie shop. Or if you want a sit-down snack, try Hatch Luncheonette and their take away which is open from 7.30 for breakfast) which is between Skinnergate and the House of Hop. A new eating venue for this year is Casa Del Alma on Skinnergate which is conveniently right on a dance spot.
There are also numerous food outlets in the Indoor Market Food Hall.
Recommended pubs in the town centre area are
The House of Hop: Houndgate. This pub is one of our sponsors and Three Brothers Brewing also one of our sponsors will have a barrel of Black Diamond IPA. They have kindly said that they don’t mind people taking in their own food and won’t be opposed to any one striking up a tune or two.
The Quaker House: Mechanics Yard
Number Twenty2: Coniscliffe Road
ORB Micropub: Coniscliffe Rd
Vesuvio Wine Bar: Houndgate (Vesuvio is an event Sponsor)
The Vault: Underneath the Indoor Market
Look out for Black Diamond Beers in some of the pubs.
If anyone wants to start up an impromptu session in any of the other pubs please check with the Bar Staff first.
There are five dance spots and 13 teams. I have tried where possible for no team to be at the same spot more than once and also tried to make sure every team gets to spend a spot with each other team. (Sadly, we failed)
We have been asked by the Council to please respect our local businesses and try not to obscure their entrances or block their windows.
The Dance Spots are
Bondgate (Outside Rosies Bar)
Skinnergate/Duke Street Corner
Blackwellgate (outside Guru)
The House Of Hop Houndgate
Northgate (Outside Shoe Zone)
This year’s final show case will be on the Market Square opposite the Vault
After the dancing has finished there will be a post dance session in the House of Hop for which you are welcome to come and join in. Then from about 7.30 join us again in the House of Hop for the evening session.
For anyone stopping over then we would like to invite you to join us at the Hopetown Darlington Railway Museum for our survivors’ dance from 11am. Followed by our regular Sunday afternoon Music Session in the House of Hop from 2.30pm
Next Years Day of Dance will be held on the Weekend after Easter 11th-12th April 2026
The dance grid will be sent out soon.
Nick Appleyard Squire
Andrew Shield Bagman.