A SHOPPING centre boss will spearhead the drive to attract more shoppers and visitors to Durham.

Richard Toynbee, who manages the multi-million pound Prince Bishops Centre, has been appointed membership committee chairman of the Durham City Forum.

The post entails chairing the Durham Marketing Initiative (DMI), which looks for ways to make the city more attractive to visitors and stages events.

The forum, set up five years ago, brings together businesses, voluntary organisations and the city council, to try to improve the city's prosperity and quality of life. Mr Toynbee has been involved in the DMI's launch of a free 28-page glossy lifestyle magazine The Buzz promoting the city and its traders, which was delivered to 60,000 homes in June.

A second edition will go to an extra 10,000 homes.

Mr Toynbee said: "This is a very exciting time to be taking over as chairman.

"Durham City is developing and changing all the time."