I’ll be honest: when I saw the question “What does Consett need?” on social media, I almost didn’t bother replying. What’s the point? We’ve been asking the same thing for years, and nothing ever seems to change. But the more I thought about it—and after scrolling through the mountain of comments—I realised something. We’re all frustrated. We’re all tired of waiting. And we’re all sitting here asking for the same things but doing nothing about it.
The Hospital That’s “Coming Soon”
Let’s start with the hospital, because how can we not? It’s been promised, and it’s supposed to be coming, but let’s be real—until it’s built, Consett is a healthcare nightmare. My neighbour, who’s in her 70s, had to take TWO buses to Sunderland for an eye appointment last week. Three hours there, three hours back—if the buses run on time. That’s not care; that’s torture.
And yet, here we are, waiting for this magical hospital like it’s going to fix everything. It’s not coming tomorrow, so what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Could we sort out mobile clinics? Community car shares? Something—anything—to make life a bit easier?
What Happened to Our High Street?
Everyone keeps saying we need better shops—Primark, M&S Food, something exciting. And yes, I’d love a decent shop where I don’t have to spend a fortune just to buy a pair of socks. But look around: our high street is what it is because we’ve let it get that way.
Every time we shop online because it’s “easier,” we’re hammering another nail into Middle Street’s coffin. I get it; I’m guilty too. But if we don’t start using the shops we do have, there won’t be any left. We want a deli? A craft shop? Fine—would you actually shop there? Because if not, let’s stop pretending.
The Kids Are Bored, and I Get It
Let’s talk about the kids. How many times have you heard, “There’s nothing to do here”? And honestly, they’re right. Unless your teenager loves football or the cinema, what else is there?
We keep saying we need a youth club or places for them to hang out, but who’s going to make it happen? Is it fair to expect “someone else” to fix this? If you’re a parent like me, maybe we should be the ones trying to organise something. I’d much rather see my kids at a local club than bored and scrolling on their phones all weekend.
Don’t Get Me Started on Transport
And then there’s the buses. Trying to get anywhere from Consett feels like a mission impossible. A metro link to Newcastle would be amazing, but we can’t even get buses that turn up on time. You shouldn’t need a car to live here, but right now, it feels like you do.
What if we started carpool groups or put more pressure on bus companies to fix this? Complaining won’t get us anywhere (literally).
So, What Are We Going to Do?
Here’s the thing. We can sit here listing all the things Consett needs until the cows come home, but unless we start doing something about it, nothing’s going to change.
Could you:
Shop locally instead of online?
Volunteer at a local group or start one?
Offer lifts to people who need to get to hospital appointments?
I know life’s busy, and most of us are juggling work, kids, and everything else. But if we all did one small thing, we’d see big changes faster than waiting for someone else to fix it.
Stop Asking, Start Acting
Consett needs a hospital. It needs better transport, better shops, and more for kids to do. But what it really needs is us—its people—to stop complaining and start acting.
So let’s stop waiting for miracles. Let’s stop pointing fingers. And let’s start building the Consett we actually want to live in.
