Settling in · Bowburn
Landing in Bowburn? Start here.
The first fortnight in Bowburn, in order: the paperwork that has to happen, then the places that make it feel like somewhere you could stay.
Week one and two
The order to do things in
1
Ring your Sama contact when you land
Whoever placed you. Tell them you arrived and that you are all right.
2
Apply for your National Insurance number
You can start work before it arrives, but do not leave it: your tax will be wrong until you have it.
3
Open a bank account
Passport, visa or share code, and proof of address. A letter from your employer usually does it.
4
Get a UK SIM
A local number makes the bank and the GP straightforward.
5
Register with a GP
Free at the point of use. Do it in your first week.
6
Check your tax code with HMRC
Get on the right code early or you will be paying too much for months.
7
Save your share code
You will be asked to prove your right to work and rent more than once.
8
Find the nearest shop, place of worship and club
The part that decides whether you stay, and the part no handbook covers.
Official, and free
Official finders
Run by the State, so they stay current. Search each one for your own town.
Find a GPThe NHS list of GP surgeries, searchable by postcode.Apply for a National Insurance numberYou need one to be taxed correctly. Apply once you are in the UK.Find an NHS dentistHarder than the GP. Start early and ring around.Check your visa and BRP or eVisaView and prove your immigration status online.Find your local police stationEmergency is 999 or 112. Non-emergency is 101.Understand your tax codeCheck what HMRC thinks you earn, so you are not overtaxed for months.Driving on a foreign licenceHow long you may drive on it, and whether it can be exchanged.Renting: know the rulesYour rights as a tenant, deposit protection and what a landlord may and may not do.Citizens AdviceFree, independent help with anything at all.Public transportNational rail and bus times and tickets.
Near you
65 places in Bowburn worth knowing in week one
From OpenStreetMap, the map that locals build, plus places our team knows. Every card has a map link. If one has closed or moved, WhatsApp us and it comes down.
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Places of worship
Every faith near you, listed so people can find a community when they arrive. Sama Talent Group is not affiliated with any religion or religious organisation.
Churches
Sanctuary 21
Christian, Salvation army
48 Saddler Street, Durham, DH1 3NU
About 5 km away
St Mary's Parish Church and Community Heritage Centre
Christian, Anglican
Belle Vue, Quarrington Hill, DH6 4DD
About 3 km away
North Road Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
North Road, Durham, DH1 4SG
About 6 km away
Trinity Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Rosa Street, Spennymoor, DL16 7NB
About 7 km away
Murray Independent Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Grove Road, Brandon, DH7 8AR
About 7 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, North Shields
About 31 km away
1A Stormont Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 OEY
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:00pm (children)
Addresses and worship service times from the Iglesia ni Cristo directory, checked October 2026. Times can change, so check the locale's own page before you go. directory.iglesianicristo.net
Shops from home
Durham Halal Superstore
Supermarket. Hours: Su-Th 09:00-20:00, Fr-Sa 09:00-21:00
Damson Way, Durham, DH1 2YN
About 5 km away
Food and takeaways
Sports and clubs
Green Lane Cricket Ground
Cricket. Sports centre
Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3JU
About 5 km away
Durham Community Boxing Club
Boxing. Sports centre
Cathedral Park, Carrville, DH1 1TF
About 6 km away
Squash and Fives courts
Squash, rugby fives. Sports centre
Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3US
About 5 km away
Spennymoor Library And Leisure Centre
Sports centre
High Street, Spennymoor, DL16 6DB
About 6 km away
Active Life @Coxhoe
Multi. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Th 07:00-22:00; Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa-Su 08:30-16:00
Linden Grove, Quarrington Hill, DH6 4DW
About 2 km away
Ferryhill Sport & Education Centre
Sports centre
Bertha Street, Ferryhill, DL17 8TB
About 6 km away
Freeman's Quay Leisure Centre
Sports centre
Freemans' Place, Durham, DH1 1SQ
About 6 km away
Spennymoor and District Clay Pigeon Club
Shooting. Sports centre
Harap Road, Ferryhill, DL17 9DY
About 6 km away
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Innovations
Community centre
1 Dundas Street, Spennymoor, DL16 6AS
About 6 km away
Shotton Community Hub
Community centre
Bridge Road, Shotton Colliery, DH6 2PQ
About 9 km away
Coxhoe Village Hall
Community centre
Front Street East, Quarrington Hill, DH6 4DB
About 3 km away
Laurel Avenue Community Centre
Community centre
Laurel Avenue, Durham, DH1 2EY
About 5 km away
Sherburn Hill Hub and Café
Community centre
Front Street, Littletown, DH6 1PA
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Barker Research Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00
Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RN
About 5 km away
Bill Bryson Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LY
About 5 km away
Palace Green Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RW
About 5 km away
Durham Clayport Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:30-19:00; Sa 09:00-17:00
8 Leazes Road North, Durham, DH1 1WA
About 6 km away
The Old Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Principal's Walk, Durham, DH1 3EE
About 5 km away
Ferryhill Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
North Street, Ferryhill, DL17 8JH
About 5 km away
Bishop Cosin's Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RW
About 5 km away
Belmont Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
The Links, Carrville, DH1 2AA
About 6 km away
Thornley Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, Thornley, DH6 3EL
About 6 km away
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. We do not make places up: if the map has it wrong, fix it on openstreetmap.org and it comes through at the next refresh.
Saving money
What locals use to spend less
The shops and sites people here use for cheap clothes, second-hand furniture, a car, and the weekly shop. We are not paid to list any of them.
Facebook Marketplace and GumtreeSecond-hand furniture, bikes, tools and cars, often for very little. Meet in public, and never pay before you see it.Freecycle and OlioThings people give away for free, and food from neighbours and shops that would otherwise go in the bin.Too Good To GoSurprise bags of food from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, at a fraction of the price.PrimarkCheap everyday clothes, work basics and bedding.Aldi and LidlThe cheapest big supermarkets for the weekly shop.B&M and Home BargainsCleaning products, kitchen kit and household bits for less.Charity shopsClothes, coats and furniture, and the money goes to a good cause.MoneySavingExpertFree guides to cheaper phones, energy, bank accounts and sending money.
Getting around
Getting around from Bowburn
TravelineBus, coach and train times for the whole of Great Britain.National RailTrain times, tickets and railcards.Transport for LondonThe Tube, buses and the Oyster and contactless fares.
Driving here on your licence
Once you live in Great Britain you can drive a car or motorcycle on your full, valid licence for 12 months. After that, a licence from a designated country can be exchanged for a GB licence; from other countries you apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. Lorries, minibuses and buses have stricter rules: check before you drive one.
Check your licence on GOV.UK Exchange a licence
Hiring a car
Each rental company sets its own rules on age, how long you have held your licence and which licences it accepts, and young drivers often pay more. Check those rules before you book, and bring your licence and passport to the desk.
Driving rules taken from the official pages linked above, checked October 2026. They change, so the official page is the one to rely on.
While you are here