Newcastle-under-Lyme: York Place centre soon to be demolished

York Place is "not an architectural gem", says the deputy leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

The last remaining tenants in a "basically horrible" shopping arcade due for demolition are moving out.

The Co-operative Bank and Specsavers Hearing Centre are relocating from York Place to elsewhere in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre.

York Place is to be redeveloped, under regeneration plans for the town centre.

Using more than £50m from the government, it is a "once in a lifetime thing" for the town, borough council deputy leader Stephen Sweeney.

"[York Place is] run down, it's leaking, it's basically horrible," said the Conservative councillor, on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

"Half the shops had left before we even touched the place, as they know how bad it is."

Car parks' redevelopment

Specsavers and the Co-operative Bank will have moved out by Christmas, ahead of the High Street arcade's demolition.

The bank is moving into the former Laura Ashley shop next to the Guildhall, and Specsavers to the former Santander site.

Redeveloping York Place is only part of the plan for the town centre, Conservative Mr Sweeney stressed.

Work on a new multi-storey car park on the old Sainsburys site, at Ryecroft, is set to begin after Christmas, and there is also potential for a hotel and other accommodation on the site.

There are also plans to turn the current council-owned Midway multi-storey car park into housing.