Editing Darlington (section)

===21st century===
[[File:Darlington - geograph.org.uk - 52377.jpg|thumb|The Market Square in 2004]]
In 2001, Darlington became the first place in England to allow same-sex [[civil ceremony|civil ceremonies]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 February 2003 |title=Same sex 'weddings' proposed |work=BBC News |agency=British Broadcasting Company |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2731977.stm |url-status=live |access-date=6 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115123423/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2731977.stm |archive-date=15 January 2009}}</ref> and {{As of|2022|lc=yes}}, it hosts an annual [[Pride parade|Gay Pride]] Festival at venues across the town.{{cn|date=January 2023}} A 2005 [[Darlington Borough Council]] project to [[pedestrianise]] areas of the town centre, this included some [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] features along High Row.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Main Features of the Pedestrian Heart Scheme |url=http://www.darlington.gov.uk/Living/Planning+and+Building+Control/Planning+Services/Projects+and+Schemes/PedHeart/PedHeartFeatures.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509041344/http://www.darlington.gov.uk/Living/Planning+and+Building+Control/Planning+Services/Projects+and+Schemes/PedHeart/PedHeartFeatures.htm |archive-date=9 May 2006 |website=Darlington Borough Council}}<br/>{{Cite web |date=16 September 2005 |title=Town revamp 'may disrupt traders' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4251676.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111043601/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4251676.stm |archive-date=11 January 2023 |access-date=18 January 2008 |website=BBC News}}<br/>{{Cite news |date=24 April 2007 |title=Trader hits out at the heart of the scheme |work=[[The Northern Echo]] |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/search/display.var.1349982.0.trader_hits_out_at_the_heart_of_the_scheme.php |url-status=live |access-date=18 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001634/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/search/display.var.1349982.0.trader_hits_out_at_the_heart_of_the_scheme.php |archive-date=27 September 2007}}<br/>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2007 |title=Hearty thanks – Town centre scheme is praised |work=[[Herald & Post (Teesside)|Herald & Post]] |url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-teesside-news/darlington-news/2007/10/18/town-centre-scheme-is-praised-84229-19970199/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116015804/http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-teesside-news/darlington-news/2007/10/18/town-centre-scheme-is-praised-84229-19970199/ |archive-date=16 January 2009}}</ref> In August 2008, a fire, in which nobody was killed, caused damage and weeks of closure until the damage fixed for several shops (including [[Woolworths (United Kingdom)|Woolworths]]). The King's Head Hotel was also affected with damage to the roof and 100 bedrooms, the hotel was able to reopen in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mercure Darlington Kings Hotel |url=http://www.kingsdarlington.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315043328/http://www.kingsdarlington.com/ |archive-date=15 March 2016 |access-date=14 March 2016 |website=kingsdarlington.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=4 October 2012 |title=Darlington King's Head Hotel reopens after £8m revamp |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-19832781 |url-status=live |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113185927/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-19832781 |archive-date=13 January 2019}}</ref>