A TOWN centre at the heart of The Northern Echo and Wear Valley Advertiser campaign to support local traders has a new man at its helm.

Derek Toon has been appointed as the new town centre manager for Bishop Auckland, whose traders joined forces with us to launch the Shopping for a Future campaign.

Mr Toon has experience with more than 30 county and regional partnerships, which he believes will help him build a bright future for the town.

He has been managing director for Business Link County Durham, within which he was champion for Wear Valley, has worked with One NorthEast, and had a spell as North-East regional director of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Mr Toon, 56, was raised in Ferryhill and now lives in Hamsterley with his wife Freda. He said: "I remember coming to Bishop Auckland as a child and it was such a vibrant town, places like Bondgate were thriving shopping areas.

"I want to see it get some of that back and I feel I have the skills and experience to get people to work together for the same objective and get things done."

Mr Toon will be based at the Four Clocks Centre on Newgate Street.