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In market towns across Britain, a major shift is underway which is seeing swathes of the high street being demolished and converted into flats and new builds in an overhaul of once thriving community centres.
After peaking in their Victorian heyday, many of these once great emporiums of commerce have struggled to adapt to the rise of online shopping, while changing drinking habits have seen the last round called at thousands of pubs.
Officials across the country are increasingly turning to housing to fill up empty retail units, with the government set to relax planning laws to make shop conversions easier.
Brompton bridge WITH regard to the article on page 2 of last week’s Darlington and Stockton Times “Search for funding to replace village bridge” I would like to take this opportunity to update residents of Brompton and users of the village green at Water End, Brompton about the footway bridge closure. A flood risk assessment is currently taking place and the town council will shortly be submitting a planning application for a new bridge. Residents will be consulted on the new bridge through to the normal planning process. The new bridge however will be different in appearance from the existing bridge due to health and safety and other modern requirements but will be sympathetic to the surroundings.