Jamie Maddison: It’s disgusting. It’s all good and well having a nice footpath to walk on but not if nobody’s going to be walking on it as there are no shops. I think the landlords are missing the bigger picture. The footpath was never really the problem although the facelift looks nicer the problem has always been the rents and rates charged. I live in Aycliffe and looked into renting my own shop, but found it impossible to negotiate reasonable terms with the landlord. I started trading in Darlington and I’m so thankful I made that decision now as I too would’ve probably been facing closure. I only hope something is done before it’s too late.
Saul Kennedy: What possible reason could you have to quadruple somebodys rates? Instead of enjoying a long overdue, modern town centre, and actively encouraging new and established traders to start or continue to trade in the town, we now face the possibility of having a lovely new, modern EMPTY shopping centre. I tried to draw up a business plan some years ago, it was actually far more cost effective to have a premises on High Row in Darlington than it was to be in my home town. It seems that in these times of financial hardship and uncertainty,one thing remains a constant, Greed. I hope all the businesses mentioned can get through this and continue to thrive, as they are the devoted people who make our town centre what it is. They are the heart, not the new paving and stairs!
Saul Kennedy: We should be busy promoting our fantastic new investment not punishing the people who have essentially kept it alive all these years, we should be investing in them too!
Gary Hudson: Newton Aycliffe town centre is a shambles run by the greedy people in London, spending all the money on new floors, the term “can’t polish a turd” comes to mind
Jamie Maddison: I trade in Darlington but I am from Aycliffe. I had a very good clientele in Aycliffe and would naturally have preferred to trade there but with unreasonable rates and rents and silly contracts with clauses, that basically allows the landlords to do as they wish I chose to look elsewhere and pleased I did. My business is thriving in Cockerton which as a village is a lot busier than Aycliffe town centre.  It’s just sad to see our town centre go to ruin and I think it’s about time the Council fought to get our town back because if they don’t it’s going to be full of charity shops, cos they will be the only ones that don’t pay.
Saul Kennedy: I can’t think an orgnaisation that thinks it’s ok to increase the rates by so much, will be in the least bit bothered about what anybody thinks. Sadly, it stinks of pure greed.
Andrew D Bygate: Does Mike Ashley own the town centre?
Sue Maughan: Just walked past Gr8vibes and they have a notice in the window saying they are closing 10th October!
Julie Bonas Wow! You couldn’t make it up!
Judith Wood My service charge for the salon is going up 80% which is now almost double what the rent is. No business can afford an increase of this amount.
Andrew D Bygate: That’s shocking.there’s going to be nothing to walk on the shiney paving for.
Saul Kennedy: It just doesn’t make any sense Judith. We cried out for a major supermarket and renewal of our aging shopping centre, both done. This in turn attracts Argos and Lidl. Next step, increase the rates of the existing businesses so much that they have to cease trading or move. Somewhere someone has a reason, but it is the responsibility of the Council and our MP, (who was having his picture and name mentioned and associated regularly with the developement), to now at least ask questions, about this sort of treatment. Perhaps they are just trying to recoup the £2million it has cost to re-pave and demolish a ramp?
Saul Kennedy: They should be promoting the new developement, rewarding existing traders for the inconvenience caused, but that would be far too much to ask of an organisation who are putting in place 80% increases in their service charge.
Katrina Downie: It’s disgusting that landlords would ask for more money from shop tenants, especially with the state of a lot of the buildings they rent, e.g. Poundstretchers roof always leaks, as does Wilkinsons. I’m sure there are many more shops in this state, plus the disruption caused the shops, having the town refurbished, with loss of trade. This company needs to stop looking at our town like London and I think they need to be encouraging more business into the town with good incentives not cripple and force out the small bit of trade we have left. I’m not a shop owner, just another concerned resident of Newton Aycliffe.
It’s time the people of Aycliffe spoke out about the lack of good retail choice we have for the amount of people that live in this town. Just look at Darlington and the shops they have compared to the choice we have. We pay more council tax here for what? Charity shops, broken pathways and overgrown trees and grass. Back the shops we have before we have none!