Durham is a thriving student city where nationalities from all over the world intermix with locals and tourists. As well as students from New College Durham the city also benefits from the large student population at Durham University.
If it’s good food and a great atmosphere you want then there is a wealth of traditional English and international restaurants. With Mexican, Thai, Italian and Japanese, eating out in Durham gives you plenty of choice. If you’re celebrating a special occasion you can experience fine cuisine at a variety of restaurants. The Walkergate development provides further leisure facilities including high quality bars and restaurants.
There are a wide variety of shops in Durham from designer and high street shopping, to unique and quirky shops. Durham Indoor Market is a Victorian market established in 1851 with over 80 stalls. On Saturdays there are additional stalls in the Market Place. Prince Bishop’s Shopping Centre is a shopping mall with high street shops and major department stores. The Gates Shopping Centre, on the north side of the River Wear, offers undercover shopping with a variety of shops and a supermarket.
For students who enjoy sport, Durham and the surrounding area has five leisure centres at Pity Me, Coxhoe, Ushaw Moor, Meadowfield and Sherburn, and swimming at Durham City Baths.