DESIGNER Wayne Hemingway has compared a retail street in Middlesbrough to San Francisco after visiting it to give a masterclass.

The designer and founder of the Red or Dead clothing range visited independent businesses in Baker Street, Middlesbrough after the town was awarded the High Street Innovation Fund – a Government package to revive rundown high streets.

After visiting shops on Baker Street and at the Corner Emporium, at the edge of the Cleveland Centre, Mr Hemingway said: “Middlesbrough is well ahead of the curve in comparison to other towns and even some cities.

“Baker Street is very cool indeed - it has the kind of shops you would see in places around the world such as San Fransisco and Seattle.”

“It’s amazing for a town of this size to be this brave. Eclectic businesses are the new mainstream - people want to see cool little independent shops and Baker Street is making that happen.”