A MAN who has spent the past 13 years at the helm of a Darlington shopping centre has retired.

Albion Small joined the Cornmill Shopping Centre when it opened in 1992.

Yesterday, past and present colleagues and friends attended a party to say goodbye.

Mr Small, who was 65 on Valentine's Day, said he had enjoyed his time as manager and was looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Eileen, and gardening at their home in Sunderland.

Mr Small joined the Cornmill as its manager in January 1992, steering it to its opening the following August.

He was formerly manager of Eldon Gardens shopping centre, in Newcastle.

He said: "I will always remember the first day we opened. I opened the doors and we must have had 50,000 people through the centre. It was unbelievable."

Deputy manager Susan Young, who will take over from Mr Small, said: "We are going to miss him a lot.

"I am very sad. He has been a great mentor to me. I came here on a work placement in 1995 and have never left. There is no doubt I would not be here today without his help."

Mr Small is optimistic about Darlington's retail future and said the planned pedestrianisation of the town centre would be a big boost to shoppers. He said: "Pedestrianisation will make it easier to get round the town, people will not be harried by buses, they can meander."

He also said the proposed new Commercial Street shopping centre would be a big boost despite the competition from the businesses.