By Martin Walker
A councillor says he doesn’t want to see a retail park in Newton Aycliffe.
Great Aycliffe Town Councillor Brian Hall, who is chairman of the Neighbourhood Plan steering group, points to the new Bishop Auckland shopping park at Tindale Crescent which he claims has decimated its town centre.
Cllr Hall had a shop in Aycliffe for 25 years – Hall’s Fabrics – and insists Aycliffe’s shopping centre is much-improved after its owners spent £7m on it in recent years, with more to come.
The people of the town can have their say about retail provision in the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan survey.
In a Video Interview with Aycliffe Today, he said: “There’s an example not very far away where they’ve built a new shopping centre. It grew from Sainsbury’s and snowballed from there.
“I did say to someone that it would affect the town centre, and they said no it won’t. Well I had a walk through Bishop Auckland town centre about a fortnight ago and I was astounded by the difference it’s made to that place.
“We talk about empty shops in Newton Aycliffe, it’s horrendous in Bishop. M&S has moved out of town, all the big stores are going.
“You ask businesspeople in Bishop if they welcome a new shopping area, and I think it would be unanimously no.
“I don’t want to see that in Newton Aycliffe. These retail parks do affect town centres, regardless of what people say.”
Disagree with Cllr Hall? Well you have the ideal opportunity to have your say in the Neighbourhood Plan survey.
And you don’t need to complete the whole survey – just the sections you feel passionately about!
Simply download the survey form by clicking here, complete it and either:
• Save it to your computer and email it to: [email protected]
Or
• Print it off and send it to: GATC, School Aycliffe Lane, School Aycliffe, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham DL5 6QF.
5 Comments
Dan Summers
October 14, 2014 at 9:03 amCllr Hall is absolutely right a strong financial investment has rebuilt the town centre but one of the biggest issues we face within Aycliffe is that we arnt attracting the RETAIL business that people want, I’ve often felt that if you popped a primark slap bang in the town centre it would be really successful! However it’s getting the business that we as a town are struggling with and it’s hardly surprising the rents are sky high and we live in a country where people are struggling to feed their family’s! But I live in hope as the economy strengthens hopefully we do start to attract the businesses that people need and want! Look at hitachi for example Aycliffe is strengthening we just need to push forward a little bit more to deliver the difference this fantastic little town needs!
Cllr Dan Summers
Janet Gunston
October 14, 2014 at 10:20 amWe don’t have a high street to save do we? If you go to Tindale it is buzzing with people and some of the small shops are there as well. Why can’t we have it all in one place and use our existing town center into an entertainment area , Use existing buildings for a much needed Theatre/ cinema, a few pubs , cafe,,resturants ect,create a cafe culture which is the modern way . It works at Teeside park
Steven
October 14, 2014 at 2:45 pmI believe a retail park wouldn’t be so much of a bad idea after all what’s there in aycliffe town centre to talk about ? My reply to that is nothing. Over the years I have seen more and more retail parks been build bringing more oppintunity for better shopping as well as jobs for those who are struggling in aycliffe to find work . So answer this would a retail park be such a bad idea ? I don’t think so at all infact I think it would put newton aycliffe back on the map and be the town it used to be all them years ago . . I think I s
Steven
October 14, 2014 at 2:51 pmI believe a retail park wouldn’t be so much of a bad idea after all what’s there in aycliffe town to talk about ? My reply to that is nothing. Over the years I have seen more and more retail parks been build bringing more oppintunity for better shopping as well as jobs for those who are struggling in aycliffe to find work . So answer this would a retail park be such a bad idea ? I don’t think so at all infact I think it would put newton aycliffe back on the map and be the town it used to be all them years ago. I think I Speek on behalf of newton aycliffe when I say the town centre is lacking insupration and that a retail park would infact better the people of newton aycliffe in a number of ways . If you think a retail park is such a bad idea why not make the effort into getting better shops in the town centre instead giving the people of newton aycliffe the enjoyment of shopping in there how town without the hassle of having to find your way and shop in the local areas such as bishop Auckland and Darlington .
Michael
October 14, 2014 at 5:36 pmI for one would like to see a retail park in newton aycliffe, Our town centre is almost dead no matter how much money they spent on it, Shops are closing because of the cost of rents is so high in our town centre, The work done has not improved the town as it still looks like an eyesore with all the empty shops. Great Aycliffe Town Councillor Brian Hall is living in the dark ages its time to evolve and adapt otherwise we will be left behind, Why do you think people of Aycliffe would prefer to shop out of town this is because its a huge let down here. The age of the little shop is long gone and its time to move on.