A TOWN'S business community received a boost when a trader's association was saved following a crisis meeting.

Bishop Auckland Business and Traders Association, the organisation that represents the business community, had warned that it could disband unless it secured more members.

This would have left businesses in the town without a voice over matters that could potentially affect their companies.

But at a crunch meeting on Monday evening, an increase in membership secured the group's future. Before the meeting, there were just 21 members and the group needed 30 to continue.

Businesses rallied round and by the end of the meeting there were 35 members.

The group's acting chairman, Paul Wilson, said: "We now have 35 members.

"It means the organisation is going to continue.

"We also have quite a lot of people who have said they were going to join if the group did keep on going, so I'm quite confident we will soon have 45 or 50 members.

"Some people had seen in The Northern Echo that the group could fold and so turned out. It was a very encouraging response.

"We have got an organisation that is now safe, but is always looking for new members."

Having cemented its future, the group will now look at how it can further its influence on matters relating to businesses in the town.

Bishop Auckland town centre manager Derek Toon expressed his delight at the decision.

He said: "My view is, is that Bishop Auckland needs a powerful trader's association to lobby for issues in the town.

"We've been working hard to keep it going and I'm so pleased that we have more than 30 members.

"What the future holds is up to the traders.

"One big issue in the past was car parking charges and I'm sure there will be plenty more issues to come."

The next meeting of the group's steering committee will take place on Wednesday, June 29.