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A former Darlington bar has been transformed into a modern new office space following a quarter of a million pound revamp.
The former Grange bar, which closed in August 2024 after 15 years in the town, is now a distant memory following a dramatic refurb of the former night spot.
The bars have been removed and the dancefloor ripped up - and in its place is a new state-of-the-art office space for planning and heritage consultancy firm ELG Planning.
The practice, which celebrated its 30th year in Darlington this year, has transformed the site, with contractors spending 12 weeks on stripping the building back to brick.
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
From the front, the building is unrecognisable with new brickwork and long glass windows.
Downstairs, where the main bar once stood, three sleek meeting rooms are in its place, while the upstairs is now a large open-plan office space with a kitchen.
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Director Jeremy Good said several aspects of the bar have been retained, including the staircase and steelwork from Cargo Fleet and Skinningrove, which are now exposed.
Workers have had to remove years of history by stripping back layers from the wall, while the old back door has been bricked up and now forms part of a small meeting room.
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
The building, which will house 14 staff, has been extended out onto the old balcony, while a small portion of outdoor space has been retained and revamped as a staff breakout area.
“We knocked out all of the rooms and went right back to brick,” the 48-year-old said.
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
A major find during the restoration was a shopfront, believed to be from the 1950s and 1960s, behind a mural of the outside courtyard.
Jeremy said workers found the shop after taking down a wall in the outdoor bar and finding a gap in between, saying it is believed to have been a former toy store before it was covered over.
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
“We have had some long weekends and late nights but when the contractor took over it made our life easier,” Jeremy said.
“We are really happy with the building. I don’t think we would have done much differently. It has come up better than I could’ve imagined.”
Inside the new ELG Planning office at the former Grange bar (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
The roof of the building, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, has been almost entirely replaced for the project.
Council leader Stephen Harker with ELG Planning directors Jeremy Good, Steven Longstaff, and Gary Swarbrick (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Works remain ongoing on the former outside bar, which will soon become a new restaurant with 30 covers inside and 30 covers outside.
The venue will feature open-fire cooking and is hoping to be open in mid to late November, with an official opening date not yet set.
The newly discovered shopfront (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
The restaurant is expected to be open from Wednesday to Sunday from 4pm to 11pm.
“We had a lot of interest,” Jeremy said.
Meanwhile, the newly discovered shopfront will be home to a new bakery and coffee spot during the day, run by the same operator as the restaurant.
The former Grange bar in Darlington (Image: AF)
Council leader Stephen Harker was given a tour around the site this week.
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“It is a really imaginative use of an old building and what has been created is really good to look at,” he said.
“It looks like a nice working environment to be in.
“It is a really good addition to this small corner of Darlington.”
The team will officially move from its office on Coniscliffe Road on Monday (October 19).
Over the years, ELG Planning has had several offices in the town, including on Duke Street and at Morton Park before moving to its current home, where it has been for nearly 15 years.
The planning practice, which also has an office in Harrogate, has worked on a range of projects across the region and the country, as far south as London and north as Scotland.