A TOWN centre at the heart of a campaign to champion the cause of local shopping is enjoying a boost in trade this Christmas.

Traders in Bishop Auckland are looking forward to the New Year with renewed hope that the town can once again become the thriving shopping community it was for decades.

Traders united in February in an effort to save the town centre which had suffered a series of blows in previous years.

The town's chamber of trade and independent retailers joined forces with The Northern Echo to launch a Shopping for a Future campaign.

Since the campaign was launched the town has taken a series of steps forward, and shop and cafe owners hope that business in Bishop Auckland is on the road to recovery.

Town centre manager Derek Toon said: "Most of traders have reported good business in the run-in to Christmas and I hope it continues next year."

New independent businesses have opened up from one end of Newgate Street to the other, offering visitors more variety.

A barbers shop, a greetings card and gift shop, a television and film memorabilia store, and a coffee shop are among the new enterprises that have been set up in the town.

Mr Toon said: "They all appear to be good businesses and have to be a benefit to the town. I am hopeful Bishop Auckland is going to keep improving and attract more shoppers to support new and established traders.

"There are plans for the future so we can continue to build on these signs of success,"

However, some parts of Bishop Auckland have lost businesses towards the end of the year, including stores in Bondgate, where a pet shop and cafe, furniture store, greetings card and gift shop have closed.

Cafe owner Lesley Zair said: "Business has been good this winter. We are just hoping it is not false economy, and that it is because the town is on the up and not just because of Christmas.

"We just need to attract a few more big-name, quality retailers and look at improving the smaller streets."