A NEW report, using Hexham as one of its case studies, has concluded that town centres in the North-East “must re-invent themselves to survive”.

The Town Centres: Planning for the Future report, which was compiled by the North East England Chamber of Commerce and planning specialists Lichfields, used round table discussions with five city and town centres as a basis for the report.

Meetings took place with businesses in Hexham, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Berwick, and Stanley which were chosen because of their different sizes and retail types.

The summary of the findings from Hexham said that the town should be a “thriving success story” with a range of attractions, shops and leisure and community facilities. It added: “However, those attending the round table felt that it does not achieve its potential in terms of retail or visitor spending, with significant leakage to Newcastle, and fewer younger people shopping in the town.” It said a lack of affordable housing was an issue, while difficulty in finding a parking space was viewed as a deterrent to potential visitors.

The report said that town centres can be reshaped to be fit for purpose and it called for businesses and councils to work together to expand what they offer – particularly to bring more families into town and city centres.