Equally important in Middlesbrough are participatory sports. Middlesbrough Sports Village is the centrepiece of sporting activity and offers facilities that are second to none.

A large gym, athletics stadium, skate park, cycle circuit, velodrome, fun village, café, astro turf pitches, grass pitches, sports hall and, ample parking provide activities for all ages.

The athletics stadium has an eight-lane 400m track, 10-lane 100m track, a grand stand with 584 seats, four long jump pits, high jump, hammer throw and pole vault. The latest addition to the village is the much-celebrated £1.6 million outdoor velodrome track. Two further sports centres, the much-loved Everyone Active Rainbow and Everyone Active Neptune leisure centres, add to the offering.

A growing clutch of independent yoga and dance studios indicate the desire for and willingness across the region to spend on bespoke fitness experiences that boutique studios can offer.

The Loft Studios, which opened in May this year, owned by local dancer turned teacher Nadia El Menabawey is a shining example of success in this area. Commuting daily from Hartlepool El Menabawey says, “I fell in love with the space, a listed building on Linthorpe Road.” The dance studio, which does adult and children’s classes, is already flourishing. “Fitness in children is really important,” she says, “so, I’m happy to be part of their journey.”

Plans are well underway to add to these considerable facilities with a snow centre planned with two ski slopes alongside a range of other leisure facilities, including an iceclimbing wall, a ‘skydive’ arena, climbing wall, soft play area and trampoline park, this will add another dimension to nearby Middlehaven, mixing the area’s business and leisure uses. It’s this sort of thoughtful town planning that makes Middlesbrough special and develops the right work/life balance for residents.