Middlesbrough, My Home

Middlesbrough, my stomping ground, it’s where I live, where I work, where I shop and where I eat.
So what do I like about it so much? Why do the home comforts of Middlesbrough keep me from
moving elsewhere?

For years when I was younger I didn’t like Middlesbrough, I wanted to move away as I saw nothing
exciting worth staying for. There was industry all around, lame shops that I never wanted to visit and
nothing to keep me occupied. As I grew up, got a car and was able to explore, this changed for me
and I started to see that Middlesbrough wasn’t so bad. The recent investment into the town and the
job I got had a lot to thank for my new found enthusiasm as I saw improvements and also discovered
the beauty in what already was.

Industry in Middlesbrough and on Teesside is big business. You can’t be in Teesside without seeing a
cooling tower or large warehouse towering above you. To some this can be off-putting, almost look
like something out of this world, but I’ve grown used to it, so much so that I love our landscape.

In my current job I work at the port and get to see the magnificent ships come into the River Tees,
as well as finding out what companies do on either side of the river and how they interact with the
wider area. This now interests me and I find it amazing that we can have such a thriving industry
right here on our doorstep. We aren’t called Smoggies for nothing but I can tell you that if you give
it time, the views really start to fit in, you start to appreciate what you have around you and wonder
what mysteries the industry on Teesside hold.

Next up is the independents. Middlesbrough has done so much to help entrepreneurs find their
feet and start businesses in our town. I know that everyone loves to visit a quaint knick knack shop
like Lots of Loveliness or a delightful tea room such as the Olde Young Tea House. It’s great that
these are owned by some great local entrepreneurs. What’s more I’ve loved the new and varied
restaurants that have opened in the town centre. There are some real gems that have started to
make the people in Middlesbrough think it isn’t so bad here. Some of the restaurants could even
rival Newcastle’s food scene, I’m looking at you Purple Pig!

One thing that has always kept me excited about Middlesbrough is its distance to both the seaside
and the countryside. If you travel 20 minutes in one direction you are at Redcar seafront enjoying
a lemon top from Pacittos, or 20 minutes in the other direction and you will find yourself at the
bottom of Roseberry Topping in amongst vast stretches of fields and hills.

I also can’t fail to mention the beloved Transporter Bridge that takes pride of place over the River
Tees. At the moment it’s getting a repaint and upgrade but I can’t wait to have a trip over when that
it’s finished!

Middlesbrough really is a diverse place to visit and I think that if you stay in the centre or venture
farther afield you will definitely see the beauty of our area and agree that it’s a great place to live.

Meet the Writer: Danni lives in Middlesbrough with her boyfriend and writes the fantastic Gingerbread Smiles, a blog full of adventures, lovely food and beauty reviews.

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