As for bike choice it all depends on both budget and use.
How much are you looking at spending and are you going to want to use the bike to commute to work etc?
welcome to the site mate, i am from lanchester, just out side durham. i am a member of the northumbria trf and we meet on the first wed of the month at blaydon staffs club or alternatively contact leo for the t&ny trf if that is closer for you.
we go riding most weekends including this saturday if you are sorted by then.