Next closure leaves town centre in 'dire state'

Next will be the latest big-name retailer to close its shop in Middlesbrough town centre

The closure of a town centre's branch of Next has been described as a "real blow" leaving it in "a dire state".

The clothing and homeware shop on Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road will cease trading on Saturday.

The town's Mayor, Chris Cooke, described it as a "regrettable" loss, while Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen warned the area was in "desperate need of regeneration".

Next has been approached for comment.

Middlesbrough town centre has lost several other well-known retailers in recent years including House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.

Labour's Cooke said his thoughts were with affected staff and linked the closures to the "dominance" of online shopping and changing customer habits.

He also said that planning authorities looking to the future had "got to get the mix right" and it should be a combination of retail and leisure alongside places to live.

Highlighting the town's Stack venue and new Odeon cinema, he said other positives included Teesside University, Middlesbrough College and the Northern School of Art which "welcomes thousands of students every day".

Further work, he said, was being done by the council to repurpose Captain Cook Square as a leisure destination.

Cost 'too high'

Conservative Houchen described the closure of Next as "a real blow" for staff and shoppers.

"Lets be absolutely frank, the town centre is in a dire state and in desperate need of regeneration," he said.

"To say anything else would be frankly dishonest, and that is why I set up the Middlesbrough Development Corporation (MDC) to make real change happen."

He directed some blame at the government for the continued decline of the High Street, warning "the cost of doing business is simply too high" with policies "that are killing our town centre businesses".

In response, a Treasury spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the government was "pro-business" and that economic activity was "at a record high with 384,000 more people in employment since we entered office".

They added: "We are also protecting the smallest businesses from the employer National Insurance rise, and reforming the business rates system to create a fairer system that protects the High Street, supports investment and levels the playing field."