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

Derek Toon has been appointed as the town centre manager for Bishop Auckland, whose traders joined forces with the Echo 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, has worked with One NorthEast, and been North-East regional director of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

The 56-year-old grew up in Ferryhill and has spent most of his life in south Durham. He 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.

"My first aims are quite simple, to get to know people and what they want for the town and to tidy the place up and raising people's knowledge of Bishop Auckland with signs."

Mr Toon will be based at the Four Clocks Centre, on Newgate Street, and will attend the next meeting of Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum on Friday, September 26.