DARLINGTON Borough Council should ‘stop believing its own bull’ about town centre footfall, according to a Conservative councillor.

Figures show footfall in Darlington town centre has suffered a steady decline since 2010, a downward trend that has been bucked slightly by a 1.5 per cent increase in the run up to last Christmas.

At a recent meeting of the council’s efficiency and resources scrutiny committee, Cllr Alan Coultas called on fellow councillors to address the issue.

He said people were “bleeding away” from the town centre due in part to the closure of big name shops like Mothercare.

He said: “If we’re going to use data, it’s important to discuss what it means.

“At best it’s flat-lining and there are concerns with many people about the shopping offer in the town.

“There’s real concern about the significant bleeding away of people who live in the town and shop elsewhere.

“We need to ask a deeper question – why do the likes of Mothercare not feel they can get enough business in town and pull out?”

He addressed other councillors and said: “Do not believe our own bull – if we do that, we don’t tackle the problem.”

Councillor Charles Johnson said the figures were disappointing, adding: “We keep being told footfall is increasing and it is not yet that footfall is relative to what we do in the town centre.”

Speaking after the meeting – held on Thursday, February 19 – Councillor Chris McEwan, cabinet member with responsibility for economy and regeneration said: “Nationally, the trend for footfall in town centres is downward for a whole host of reasons including people buying on line and out of town shopping.

“The footfall data presented to the scrutiny committee was provisional and needs further analysis, although, in line with national trends, is downward.

“Darlington like all town centres must adapt to these national trends in retail. We are working with Distinct Darlington and town centre retailers and business, who are extremely supportive, to support and grow the town centre economy.

“The massive investment in the town centre, including the £30m cinema and leisure complex scheduled for completion in March 2016, the construction of a 650 space multi-storey car park and the relocation taking place now of nearly 400 civil servants to Bishopsgate House are initiatives the council has made happen, which will benefit the town centre.”