Durham Miners' Gala: Speakers, road closures and timings

The 137th Durham Miners' Gala will take place on Saturday. Credit: PA

The 137th Durham Miners' Gala will take place on Saturday as thousands of people take to the streets for the annual event.

The gala, which has been taking place since 1871, is one of the largest labour and trade union event in Europe and this year's event is is dedicated to workers taking industrial action.

Platform speakers this year will include Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and MP Zarah Sultana.

In 2022, 200,000 people attended, and more than 60 banners and 50 brass bands took part.

There will be a number of road closures in place on Saturday to allow the event to take place and those attending are urged to plan ahead to avoid disruption.

What time are events taking place?

Groups will start to arrive in Durham city centre in the early morning with some road closures in effect from 4am.

At 8:30am banner groups and bands gather in Durham Market Place before parading through the city. Due to redevelopment, the Gala cannot parade down the traditional North Road route this year. Framwelgate Waterside will be used instead.

The parade will pass by the County Hotel at Old Elvet where participants will be greeted by local dignitaries and labour movement leaders from the balcony before converging on the Old Racecourse for the speeches, which start at 1pm.

The procession is then received at Durham Cathedral from 2:30pm for the Miners’ Festival Service which gets underway at 3pm.

Accompanied by North Skelton Band, the Durham Miners' Association Band and Stanhope Silver Band, which is marking its 200th anniversary, will accompany banners into the cathedral.

This year, three banners will be blessed by the Bishop of Durham. The banners to be blessed are Coxhoe Colliery, Hetton Lyons and Durham Aged Mineworkers Homes Association (DAMHA), celebrating its 125th anniversary.

Those looking to attend are advised to get there early with parking available at the multi-storey car park close to the Market Place.

Alternatively, there are three park-and-ride car parks outside the city at Belmont, Sniperley and Howlands Farm. Full travel details can be found on the Durham Miners Gala website.

There will be a number of road closures in Durham for the Miners Gala. Credit: PA

Who are the speakers?

  • Paul Nowak, General Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC)

  • Zarah Sultana MP

  • Fran Heathcote, President, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)

  • Sarah Woolley, General Secretary, Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU)

  • Sara Bryson, Tyne and Wear Citizens Assembly

  • Alan Mardghum, General Secretary, Durham Miners' Association (DMA)

Full list of road closures (4am - 8pm)

  • New Elvet Bridge

  • New Elvet

  • Old Elvet

  • Territorial Lane

  • Elvet Waterside

  • Elvet Crescent

  • Prison Green (Old Elvet South)

  • Court Lane

  • Pelaw Leazes Lane

  • Elvet Bridge

  • Market Place

  • Saddler Street

  • Owengate

  • Palace Green

  • Silver Street

  • Framwellgate Bridge

  • North Bailey (north of the access to Hatfield College)

  • North Road (between its junctions with Framwellgate Bridge and Milburngate)

  • Crossgate (from junction with North Road/Framwellgate Bridge to the junction with South Street)

  • Whinney Hill

  • Church Street

  • Hallgarth Street

  • Green Lane

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