Work to open a new retail park bringing international brands and leisure facilities to a County Durham town have taken a step forward. 

New details about who will occupy the retail units at the Fieldon Bridge Retail Park in Bishop Auckland have been revealed and include a mix of local and national businesses. 

Construction work on the site near Tindale Crescent has stepped up in recent months, with 86 per cent of units now occupied, after repeated delays over recent years. 

Food outlets Domino’s Pizza, Burger King and North East restaurant Mama’s Pizzeria, which has a site near Houghton-le-Spring, have appeared on plans for the site. Home and garden retailers The Range and Wickes have also secured deals to open stores at the new retail park. 

They will appear alongside the large Reel Cinema and Superbowl sites, which will provide bowling and laser quest facilities. A garden centre and Anytime Fitness gym will also open. 

It is hoped the first retail units could open at the start of 2024, with the cinema due to open between mid-February and March. 

The new retail park will add to an already large selection of stores for shoppers at the nearby Bishop Auckland Shopping Retail Park, which includes KFC and McDonald’s. 

Full list of businesses already announced: 

 

  • Reel Cinema 
  • Domino’s Pizza 
  • Mama’s Pizzeria 
  • Anytime Fitness
  • Garden Centre
  • Superbowl
  • Burger King 
  • Wickes
  • The Range

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The Northern Echo: Cllr Rob Yorke; David Maddan, CEO The Auckland Project; David Land, Chair of Stronger Towns Fund, and Cllr George Smith.Cllr Rob Yorke; David Maddan, CEO The Auckland Project; David Land, Chair of Stronger Towns Fund, and Cllr George Smith. (Image: The Northern Echo)

David Land, chairman of the Stronger Towns Fund, said talks are ongoing with retailers to fill the final units on the site. 

Work has also been carried out to improve the surrounding roads to cope with the increased amount of traffic which will travel to the new site as well as the current retail park. 

Cllr Rob Yorke added: “None of the companies that are going in there are in Newgate Street, and one of the criticisms that some people have against the development is that it’s taking footfall out of the town but no one will be relocating, they’re completely separate.”

Cllr Sam Zair, independent county councillor for the Bishop Auckland division, said: “I am pleased to see this positive progress at Tindale Crescent. However, for the retail park to be successful, it’s essential that the surrounding infrastructure is fit for purpose and we all know that Bishop Auckland has a long way to go as far as regeneration is concerned.

"On the back of this encouraging development, I hope that the investment will be the catalyst for more to follow that starts to make the vital long-term impact in the town centre that our businesses and residents need so much.”