Darlington Borough Council has said that loud drilling work in the town that continued throughout Monday's two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day was "regrettable".

Work has been taking place on Coniscliffe Road since October to create a 'cafe culture' down the street but as the clock rolled to 11am on Monday, work did not pause.

November 11, the date which an agreement to end the First World War in 1918, is commemorated each year with acts of remembrance across the country to pay respect to those who gave their lives during the global conflict. A two-minute period of silence is a long-held tradition as a moment of reflection.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesperson said: “It is regrettable that the two-minute silence was interrupted in Coniscliffe Road and we will seek to understand why this happened. Thankfully, the organised act of remembrance on High Row was not affected.”

In Darlington just over 350 yards away from the roadworks on Coniscliffe Road, an organised act to commemorate fallen soldiers was not impacted by the drilling despite its close proximity to the works being carried out.

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The area around Coniscliffe Road, known for its bars and restaurants has seen temporary outdoor seating flourish since the pandemic, and the new plans aim to make these changes permanent with wider pavements and more pedestrian space.

The scheme which includes the introduction of a pocket park, permanent seating, a cycle park, trees, and planting is expected to bring more people into the town centre, but work will continue well into the new year to bring this about.

There were a few changes to the plans after the consultation period, these included:

  • continuing the existing one-way traffic system between Grange Road and Larchfield Street
  • changes to material specifications in keeping with the adjoining street scape
  • the removal of elements relating to a pedestrian/cycle zone
  • the removal of elements relating to the junction realignment between Grange Road, Blackwellgate and Skinnergate
  • tree planting removed from build outs intended to accommodate pavement cafes