No longer a mess, Stanley
DECLINE
Reporter ONCE a thriving County Durham mining town, Stanley struggled as the industry declined.
With the town’s main employment drying up, local businesses struggled and closed, leaving empty buildings along Front Street and in the Clifford Road retail complex.
In 2014, Durham County Council unveiled plans to invest £33m in the town as part of a major regeneration programme.
Now as more shops close across the UK, Stanley is bucking the trend as it attracts big names – most recently McDonald’s – and jobs.
McDonald’s: The council signed off on plans in April for the fast-food chain to open a new restaurant.
The two-storey restaurant will generate 65 jobs and offer sit-in, takeaway and drive-thru meals.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We are delighted that planning permission has been granted for a new restaurant in Stanley.
“We will now commence the process of discharging the planning conditions with a view to starting on site and opening the new restaurant as soon as possible.”
Home Bargains: The store is due to open on Saturday, July 14.
Located on Clifford Road, TJ Morris, which owns the discount retailer, bought the site from Tesco after the supermarket giant pulled out of opening a new store in the town.
A spokesperson for Home Bargains said they are currently recruiting staff for the new store.
Aldi: Plans for the budget German supermarket were approved at the start of last year.
It will be built on derelict land near to the bus station.
An Aldi spokesperson said: “We have started work on our new site in Stanley and look forward to opening our new store which will create 35 new jobs, later this year.”
Stanfield House: The former care home underwent a £1.4m transformation to be turned into Hotel 52.
The council closed the care home in Joicey Square in 2011. It opened as a 23-bed hotel at the end of 2017.
The council created a town centre masterplan that aimed to look at how the fortunes of Stanley could be turned around.
The plan initially focused on creating a more usable and accessible space with improved seating and new energy-efficient lighting within the town.
Investment in the future will continue with the completion of improvements on Front Street and an extension into the Clifford Road retail park.
The Bertie’s Bar on Front Street is to benefit from investment. It has been empty since a fire caused significant damage.
The local authority has supported businesses through its Targeted Business Improvement scheme.
It provides funding to help them expand or improve their premises, as well as providing specialist retail advice and access to training.
Eight businesses have received help in the past three years which has led to four vacant premises being brought back into use, creating five new jobs.
Eighteen businesses benefited from the Stanley Retail Improvement Project, which was funded by the Area Action Partnership (AAP).
This saw improvements to window displays and shop fronts to give a more vibrant feel to the town.
There is a website for the town centre that’s hosted by AAP. It aims to promote businesses and events across the town.
Businesses have access to free digital marketing training and the next steps of the project will see Stanley, alongside Bishop Auckland, host an initiative that will offer free public Wi-Fi across the town centre.