Relocation concerns and food bank worries as Billingham town centre plans welcomed

Few seem to argue the West Precinct in Billingham town centre hasn't seen better days.

Several retailers remain - two pubs, a Chinese restaurant, a number of chain stores and a funeral directors'. So do empty parades with shutters on long-gone outlets, including an old pound shop and the Cinema 625 "family video centre", which already seems a relic from a bygone age.

"If they don't knock it down it'll fall down," remarks one shopper bluntly. Another observer says: "It should have come down years ago. This building has served its purpose. It's old and decrepit. It's past its sell-by date."

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Now, under plans revealed by Stockton Council, these buildings will come down, to be replaced by new homes and shops. On Monday council leaders are set to consider, and most likely approve, the scheme to buy the "underused" West Precinct from owners Evolve Estates, move businesses and demolish the buildings to make way for new homes, shops, a refurbished former council office and improved parking and public toilets, using £20m of government levelling up money.

With sensitive and confidential negotiations in the background involving the owners, council and retailers, the fate of the town centre has been the subject of much speculation on social media. "When it's all done, we'll have no empty units," the Local Democracy Reporting Service is told, with the important caveat: "Nothing's quick."

Savers store manager Paul Hunt says: "We're sort of in the dark a bit. I feel like they want to modernise the town centre a bit, bring more customers to the town centre, bring more life into it.

"Places know where they're going but nothing's been finalised. They do try and keep us updated when major things happen."

Jordan Mulloy, the Astronaut's licensee and manager, says: "I'm communicating with Evolve Estates who recently acquired the town centre and we're currently working with them towards a relocation plan.

"But we're still at a negotiation phase at the moment. They're keeping in good communication with me and working towards an agreement. We've been given options of sites to relocate to. It's still very much in the mix."

For some, there are understandable anxieties about an uncertain future. Adrian Worth, founder of the boxing club which runs from the West Precinct, has already expressed concerns and frustrations about having to find a new home.

Helen Winspear, project manager of the Billingham & Stockton Borough Foodbank, says: "We're concerned because, at this stage, we don't know where we're going or if we're going anywhere. We've not been told.

"I haven't had anything formal saying to me where we're going or what's happening. It's a worry."

She says they do not encourage dependence on the food bank, "short-term crisis only", but through their help and financial advice supporting people to pay off debt as well as providing food, almost £1m has been put back into the system in two years. She adds: "It keeps them in circulation.

"It means they're not going on the sick with mental health and anxiety, they're going to stay in work, they're going to keep their house, the family's going to stay together." She says their number of clients has risen as the cost of living crisis has deepened, many the "working poor" on zero-hours contracts without secure work, benefits or savings.

"We see that many people coming in, we've got a need for the local area. We have together with Stockton the largest number of people using us for food parcels.

"We need time to be able to box everything up. We'd have to downsize, we're aware of that. There's all that added cost we'd have to figure out.

"If we know we've got enough time to do it perhaps we could get some donations in place or some support. I suppose for us the main concern is that we've got enough time to do that, and get the message out to people to know where to go."

Outside on the streets, people are broadly positive about the plans. Janet Havert, 68, from Norton, says: "I've always come here. It's free parking, you're slap bang beside the shops.

"This was the shopping centre to come to. I've slowly watched it over the last five years decline.

"It needs a facelift, something under-cover, something like Hartlepool, it would encourage more people to come here. I totally think that's the way forward. It would be nice to see some shops and redevelopment and bring it back to life."

Janet Lamb, 71, who was born in Billingham and used to work in one of the affected buildings, adds: "It was amazing. I never saw it empty like this.

"We've never had so many empty shops. It's such a shame.

"It would be great for a redevelopment. I think it would be good because nothing's happening to it the way it is. It's all run-down.

Alan Tinkler, 68, says: "It certainly needs it. It's an utter disgrace. It's desperate for shops." His wife Joan, also 68, says: "It used to be a thriving place years ago."

Michael Woodall, 67, says: "I think it needs a good overhaul myself. At least they've kept the free parking but I think that's a necessity. I think if you had to pay it would be a ghost town.

"I know people need homes, but if they're going to build homes you're just taking the shops away and you're not going to attract people to Billingham to spend money."

One resident says of the plans: "In principle I agree with them. I think it needs some kind of boost. It's long overdue. They've been under-occupied for so long."

Another comments: "It depends on how they do it. If it brings people into Billingham and makes it positive, then great, but if it doesn't it's pointless."

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