McDonald's to shut in Bishop Auckland

11:21am Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Dani Webb, Chief Reporter (South Durham)

CAMPAIGNERS hoping to bring life back to a town centre have been dealt a bitter blow after McDonald’s announced it will close its doors next month.

The national fast food chain will close its store in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland , at the end of October after concerns were raised over a fall in trade.

The news comes less than three weeks after Marks and Spencer announced it was to move its business to the out-of-town complex in nearby St Helen Auckland.

Traders and residents in Bishop Auckland are concerned the loss of major retailers out of the town centre could signal the end of the high street.

They also fear national retailers are being attracted to the St Helen Auckland site as opposed to the town centre.

Marks and Spencer, Pets At Home, Next, Brantano, JD Sports and Carphone Warehouse have all signed up to trade on the complex in recent weeks.

Mayor of Bishop Auckland, Councillor Charlie Kay said the departure of McDonald’s was not what the town needed.

“I’ve been told it is definitely going,” he said. “From a healthy food agenda it might not be seen as a bad thing but really it will be another empty outlet, which is not good for us.

“These are critical times for the town centre but I don’t think it has anything to do with the McDonald’s already at St Helen Auckland.”

Councillor Sam Zair added: “It is disastrous for the high street and goes against everything we have want to happen. It is not good news.

“If more units are given the go-ahead at St Helen Auckland it is going to be terrible for the town centre.”

A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said: “We can confirm that McDonald’s, together with our local franchisee, have decided to close the restaurant at Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland at the end of October.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly but as we constantly review our estate, it has become apparent that trading patterns in Bishop Auckland have changed and therefore we have taken the difficult decision to cease trading at this site.

“All staff have being offered transfers to neighbouring restaurants.”

Comments(18)

holmesc1 says...
12:14pm Wed 19 Sep 12

Shame its been there for years. Comes as no suprise like. When the one at St Helens opened i knew Bishop Auckland was not big enough for 2 Mcdonalds. The high street will just be empty shops and charity shops before long.

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bOrNiNtHeEiGhTiEs says...
2:38pm Wed 19 Sep 12

it wants closing its a dirty place.

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user name 3 says...
3:27pm Wed 19 Sep 12

Well that will tidy the bottom end of the town up, less rubbish and chewing gum stuck to the pavement.

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Hunty1 says...
3:27pm Wed 19 Sep 12

It had to be one of the dirtiest McDonalds I've been into, but hey ho think of all the other delicious shops to eat in instead like .... ??? umm let me think about that one!

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lilboysmammy says...
3:31pm Wed 19 Sep 12

dirty rotten hole should have been closed along time ago, or new managers put in & half decent staff

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disillusionedbishopresident says...
3:45pm Wed 19 Sep 12

BATC has been on it's last legs for years. It's not alone - the major retailers are leaving all town centres in droves in favour of out of town "mass shopping" complexes. Instead of trying to attract the majors or encouraging charity shops, pound shops or cheapo shops, the Town Centre Management needs to change its focus and take the town in a new direction - what about encouraging farmer's co-operatives selling only local produce or local artisan and specialist retail shops? It's a sign of the times and the type of town Bishop is when we lose a family business like Finlays Jewellers but Elizabeth Duke at Argos is thriving...

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coll13 says...
6:31pm Wed 19 Sep 12

well im not bothered now about mcdonalds because bishop auckland by next year will be a ghost town they dont give a hoot about bishop auckland it been prove it not shops that want to shut down they want to open some new shops instead of pizza shops and hair dresses and kebab shops becuase that is all it will be before long im ashamed to say this but i live in bishop and it one off the worsed places i can think to live they have no jobs for any one and now it just get better might as well shut all the shops down and not have a bishop town center because it will be tindale town center and also theres these old people that cant get up to tindale what about them come on man have some considerration for people

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hippyjohn says...
9:16pm Wed 19 Sep 12

The decline of Bishop Auckland started with the building of the bus station. As soon as the buses were taken from the market place the market itself began to suffer and businesses around the market place began to close.As there was no need for buses to travelthrough the lower end of Newgate Street it was pedestrianised and parking of cars curtailed.Add this to the cost of the VERY limited parking in the town centre, and we now have a town centre over two miles from the market place

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etherleydene says...
2:05pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Many locations are becoming Ghost towns, and it's down to our attitude to how and what we spend money on, along with the government strangling any resurgence in local trade with fuel duties, creating a debt ridden culture and letting property prices spiral out of proportion to their genuine value in society.

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n12345 says...
6:24pm Thu 20 Sep 12

The other day I was listening to someone complaining about everything moving to St Helen's and there been nothing left in the town centre.
Their friend replied yes Poundstrecher, McDonald's and Mothercare all gone its so sad.
To which the complainant replied what Mothercare when did that go, it's been that long since I've been shopping down there...

Maybe if half the people who are spending their time complaining about the shop disappearing from the town centre actually used it, shops wouldn't be put in the position of having to close!

Moral of the story USE IT OR LOSE IT!!!

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freelance says...
4:06pm Fri 21 Sep 12

Well done Tindale Crescent -
just hope they don't pull the village and the club down.

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the-big-yin says...
9:11pm Fri 21 Sep 12

ITS TIME FOR THE PARKING CHARGES IN BISHOP TO BE SCRAPPED...
HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON PARKING TO BRING SHOPPERS BACK...
MCDONALDS IS NO LOSS AS IT IS A DIRTY DISGUSTING PLACE....
STAFF ARE SURLY AND THE WHOLE PLACE WAS A MINGING HOLE...
THE FRANCANSEE OWNER MUST NEVER HAVE VISITED THE PLACE...IF THEY DID IT WOULD HAVE CLOSED EARLIER...AT LEAST THE MCDONALDS AT ST HELENS KEEPS THE TRAVELING COMMUNITY UP THAT END OF THE TOWN....DON-T YOU JUST LOVE THOSE WHITE VESTS AND GREASY HAIR DO-S...

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scprof says...
12:30pm Sat 22 Sep 12

McDonalds do seem to prefer the out of town shops now anyway. The one in Durham City closed as it never did any business and even looking at Burger King, that is not exactly packed everyday it's open.

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pxatkins says...
6:35pm Mon 24 Sep 12

Nothing being said here that wasn't said when McDs and Mothercare tolled the death knoll for family businesses when they moved in. Even Doggarts put to death many little local businesses.

the-big-yin ... you're a racist moron with no idea what caps lock is.

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Butafly says...
7:59pm Tue 25 Sep 12

There are still afew places left to go to, although not many,it is still better that what most other towns have been left with, but if not careful it wil end up like those other towns, yes they may have bad names by some,but once over newton aycliffe,spennymoor etc had convenient shopping centers. If not careful bishop town is going to be like aycliffe town,with many empty shops, I went to aycliffe the other wk afte not being there for afew year, and ther was a lot more pigeons than people lol, but this is because many shops are closing down,or moving out of town.
B+M prob move out of bishop town center next which would be a shame, that building has been a few places and being b+m was its best choice.
I agree with a few people about mcdonalds in the town being abit dirty, it is why people prefered eating elsewhere.

I think the worst part of the town though is those bus station toilets, they want knocking down, even the smell walking past puts u off needing a wee lol. Although when my toddler needed the toilet whilst waiting for a bus,I did actualy walk back into the town and use mcdonalds toilets rather than the bus station ones, so for that reason mcdonalds should stay lol,because other cafes etc you need to be a customer to be able to use their toliets.

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the-big-yin says...
10:03am Wed 26 Sep 12

pxatkins wrote:
Nothing being said here that wasn't said when McDs and Mothercare tolled the death knoll for family businesses when they moved in. Even Doggarts put to death many little local businesses.

the-big-yin ... you're a racist moron with no idea what caps lock is.
get a grip you saddo!!!!!!
i can fix your roof for ya!!!! £1,000000 cheap or what.....

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notrac says...
4:44pm Wed 26 Sep 12

I'm afraid BA council is the same as a lot of other councils they want your money but they don't want your car or if you do bring it you'll be penalised, when will they get the message if out of town complexes provide a better service without screwing you for parking then that is where we'll go.

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doonhamer says...
11:03pm Wed 26 Sep 12

coll13 wrote:
well im not bothered now about mcdonalds because bishop auckland by next year will be a ghost town they dont give a hoot about bishop auckland it been prove it not shops that want to shut down they want to open some new shops instead of pizza shops and hair dresses and kebab shops becuase that is all it will be before long im ashamed to say this but i live in bishop and it one off the worsed places i can think to live they have no jobs for any one and now it just get better might as well shut all the shops down and not have a bishop town center because it will be tindale town center and also theres these old people that cant get up to tindale what about them come on man have some considerration for people
Eh ?

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