A BUSINESSWOMAN who led a campaign backed by The Northern Echo to revive Bishop Auckland's town centre is retiring because of her husband's ill health.

Margaret and Colin Ellis's electrical goods shop JC Ellis is one of the last family-owned firms in the town where it has been based for 27 years. A bakery is moving in when it closes next month.

The couple started the business in Cockton Hill, moved to a store opposite the station 23 years ago and have been in the present shop in Newgate Street since 1993.

Last year, they expressed their confidence in the future of the town by extending their premises, but recently took the decision to retire.

In February 2003, Mrs Ellis was so worried about the decline in Bishop Auckland's fortunes that she asked The Northern Echo's editor Peter Barron for help.

The newspaper launched an initiative called Shopping For A Future, which promoted the efforts by traders to challenge local authorities and others over issues they felt were threatening their prosperity.

This was backed by the Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum and then MP Derek Foster and led to a series of open meetings between traders and highways and planning chiefs.

Businesses ran weekly promotions and offers and worked together for the first time in years.

A traders' group was reformed and is still operating, a town centre manager was appointed and businesses were consulted over new parking charges and other issues.

The biggest boost will come when a cinema opens in the Newgate Centre under plans from the Oakgate Group, the centre's new owner, which is proposing several new stores, including a department store.

Mrs Ellis said: "We are pleased that business is good in Bishop Auckland.

"People are coming to the town again and some of the new developments will be very exciting if they come off, especially the cinema.

"It was important that we spoke up for the town when we did and we will be sorry to leave.

"But we have had to re-evaluate our lives and Colin's health is the most important thing for us now."