Houghton-le-Spring is a former mining town in North East England. It is situated within the City of Sunderland between Newbottle, County Durham and Hetton-le-Hole and lies about 6 miles (13 km) to the North East of Durham. The A690 from Durham to Sunderland meets the A182 in Houghton at an unusual interchange. Heading northeast, slip roads leave the A690, heading up to a roundabout, while the A690 climbs and travels above a second roundabout, before the entry slip joins the A690 itself. Villages within the Houghton-le-Spring postal district include: Fencehouses, Chilton Moor and Woodstone. Houghton-Le-Spring's main shopping area is located in Newbottle Street which includes a supermarket, a library, the Post Office and various other retail outlets. Pubs in Houghton-Le-Spring include The White Lion, The Copt Hill, The Mill, The Burn, The Britannia and The Golden Lion which reportedly has stood for almost 300 years. The earliest records for the public house date from 1827 and show that it was owned by the Rector. Speedway racing was staged at the racecourse. Contemporary newspaper reports indicate the sport was staged in 1930 but it may have operated at other times. Horse racing last featured at the site in 1938 owing to the outbreak of World War II the following year, and was replaced with Greyhound racing. More on Houghton-le-Spring