Vacant store to be taken over by bookshop

The landlord of the unit, in High Row, last night said a contract had been signed with the bookseller.

The news has come as a relief to council chiefs and town centre traders, who feared the boarded-up shop would never reopen.

Dressers stationers closed in April 2001, after 150 years of trading in the town.

The site was bought in October 2003 by designer store Bertie, based in Bishop Auckland, which planned to open a flagship shop there.

That scheme was put on hold at the end of last year after Bertie moved to a new site in Tubwell Row.

Bertie owner Wayne Baister said: "The scaffolding is going up on Sunday. It is still our site, there is no doubt about that. They will have it purely on a lease basis. It is confirmed. It is absolutely, categorically true. The lease is in place and it is all ready to go.

"The contract is signed and we have got some work to do to the unit before it is handed over, but it is absolutely concrete."

Borough council leader John Williams said the news was a boost to the authority's £6.5m proposals to pedestrianise the town centre. He said: "The property is a prime location that will be at the centre of the proposed pedestrianisation heart project.

"This is early confirmation that the scheme will attract major high street names to Darlington."

Darlington Chamber of Trade secretary Susan Young said: "I think any sort of movement on that unit is excellent for the town centre because it has been vacant for so long and because it is in a prominent position."

Town centre manager Louise Toms said: "If it is happening, it will definitely be a good thing to see a prominent shop opening in what is a prominent position in the town centre."

A Waterstone's spokeswoman said: "We cannot confirm it.

"We are always looking at new sites, but at the moment there is nothing more we can say."

l The well-known department store of C Milner and Son, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, has been put on the market by its family owners.