Hartlepool | About Hartlepool | Things to Do and See

Many people have written about Hartlepool over the years and it certainly has its fair share of famous people, landscapes and myths - but what can the visitor or potential property buyer expect from Hartlepool when they consider buying a property? Let's take a look:-

Ideally situated on the coast Hartlepool is close to the A19, for access to Teesside to the south and Sunderland to the north. The A689 out of Hartlepool leads directly past the A1(M) motorway junction linking onto Newcastle upon Tyne which is about a 45-minute drive.

The town has its own railway startion and boastst the new Grand Central train service which will link Hartlepool to London in about 3 hours. The nearest international airport is Durham Tees Valley, some 30 minutes drive and Newcastle International Airport some 50 minutes away.

Hartlepool boasts 3 main golf courses some with fabulous executive golf properties surrounding the course. A £60 million Marina and housing development which will be hosting the Tall Ships Race in 2010. Numerous coastal and country walks and the nearby Saltholme nature park, one of the RSPB's largest reserves.

The Summerhill Outdoor Activity Centre sits on a 100 acre site and offers nature and outdoor sporting activities throughout the year.

The town has grown considerably over the past decade and although the traditional upmarket areas were typically the West Park area with property prices starting in the mid £300,000's the town now boasts a number of high quality estates and developments including the Bishop Cuthbert area, Throston Golf Club area and St Bega's Glade and many others.

Hartlepool has many properties touching and tipping the £1 million mark. The outlying villages of Elwick, Hart, Greatham and Dalton Piercy are all very popular villages, with the properties prices starting at £300,000.

The Marina at Hartlepool is fast becoming renowned for its excellent cuisine including some excellent restaurants like Krimo's, Fujiyama for Japanese, the Lotus Garden for Chinese, Tambirinis for Italian and the Thai Harbour.

Other popular favourites around the town include Tavistock (beneath the Grand Hotel), Marco Polo, Portofinos and Oceans for seafood at the Staincliffe Hotel on Seaton front.

The town hosts many varied evening spots for entertainment including the bars of Church Street for a fun night out, while the Marina offers more sophisticated bars and restaurants. The Studio, on Tower Street, hosts a variety of gigs. There are is also the Town Hall Theatre for popular shows and a tenpin bowling alley and a multiscreen VUE Cinema.

West Park Primary School maintains its number 1 position in the town for junior and infants whilst the Fens Primary School was judged outstanding by Ofsted officials earlier this year. The comprehensive schools like English Martyrs Roman Catholic school and sixth form college is regarded as the best secondary in the town. Newcastle and Teesside university are within easy reach for graduates.

The towns employers include Corus, the steel manufacturers, the nuclear power station, Hartlepool Borough Council, Garlands Call Centres and many others. The town has its fair share of entrepreneurs eagerley making a mark on the towns landscape and offers varied help via Business Link for new start ups.

Hartlepool has a very good shopping facility - Middleton Grange Shopping Centre which is situated in the town centre and is a closed in facility with a modern look and feel. There are many leading brands in the centre including Boots, Burtons, Marks and Spencer, WH Smiths and many other leading high street names.

In addition there are many estate shopping parades with various convenience stores and mini markets throughout the town.

Hartlepool is on the up and up as more people head into the town. The nearby Wynyard Park and Queens Meadow Business Park help to create new employment opportunities for the working population of the town.

The property market in the town continues to grow despite the national downturn in the current market although we can expect some lowering of prices until the tide turns on the home market.

There isn't one - but then I'm biased