Sunnybrow
Sunnybrow is a village in County Durham, in England. In the 2001 census Sunnybrow had a population of 1,296.[1] It is effectively the southern suburb of Willington.
It has a primary school and a car show room as well as a cemetery which was created in 1889 along with a now demolished church as part of the Sunnybrow St. John Parish. In 2008, its only post office was closed. Sunnybrow is also home to the Spectrum Leisure Complex (opened in 1985 by Lord Roxborough who was eight at the time) which featured the only dry ski slope in the area. However due to a decline in the demand for alpine skiing in the South West Durham area, this part of the facility was closed in 2004.
With the decline in interest in alpine skiing in the south-west Durham area, not only the dry ski slope, but the remaining east and south wings of the leisure centre fell victim to the downturn in custom. This also meant the closure of the Astroturf, an all-weather 5-a-side football pitch.
A new housing estate was built just to the east of the former leisure centre site. Residents and visitors alike can now pass the leisure centre to visit one of the many high street retailers for example the butchers, the chippy and the country and western clothing store. The housing estate is technically classed as being in Willington (pron. Wilton), and so it would seem that the border crossing from Sunnybrow to Willington lies on the Spectrum Leisure Centre site. Today, in modern times, there seems to be good relations between the two areas, but many years ago (some historians estimate this to be during Norman times), disputes over land and highways often boiled over and much blood was spilt. It is also rumoured that it was during these heady times, that a splinter group of Willington separatists was formed, calling themselves the Willington Delta Force.
Today, however, Sunnybrow thrives and is fast becoming more at one with its neighbours over in Willington. There are regular transport links between and through the two conurbations, with the ever-popular tourist attraction that is the bus turning circle on Clifton Green, proving integral in providing a swift and efficient service by the local public transport companies.
References
- ↑ "Wear Valley Settlement Summary Sheets" (PDF). Durham County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
Coordinates: 54°42′14″N 1°42′2″W / 54.70389°N 1.70056°W