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As you know, I'm a part of the 95% who don't live in Bedlington and that's just one good reason why I appreciate so very much the input of people like Malcolm Robinson and Russ Wallace who do their best to ensure transparency in local politics by keeping us informed. Once a Bedlingtonian, always a Bedlingtonian!

My sentiments exactly! Something unique to Bedlington!

I believe most people liked the old front street we once knew but if we look at the history of front streets we can see that it has changed and won’t return as we fondly remember them. With the inventing of the steam engine (partly thanks to Bedlington) produce from all over the country and later the world became more available for local sales and hence the front street grew as we knew it. Then along came large box stores like Woolco (yes I helped build them!) and as people became more mobile one stop shopping became the latest (cheapest and convenient ) way of shopping. I see the front streets still having a few essential fresh foods (smell that bakery!) or personal services etc but not all of the shops we had, I see more leisure, parks, recreational and meeting areas, but the pandemic situation may dictate otherwise. The front street brought people out of their homes and together, electronics and technology is putting many back into their houses (TV, Internet and shopping) How do we get people out and together? I don’t know. But I’m sure it won’t be the old front street shopping. In my humble opinion.

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) I totally agree about the changing nature of the high street and I know that it is a difficult time to be looking at opening new retail premises. As I understand it, aside from Aldi, all the other prospective tenants have now pulled out of the scheme. I was hugely encouraged to see the prospect of new leisure facilities seemingly being agreed, however the prospect of that seems to be receding. That said, Amble has had a new retail centre developed from consultation through to the tills ringing in their first cash in 18 months, developed by the same people entrusted with the future of our town, so if that can be done why not Bedlington? I do think that Bedlington needs some kind of attraction besides retail to bring footfall to the town - without that, small retail is doomed to fail in the light of online shopping habits. The problem seems to be that we're not allowed to compete with neighbouring towns for things like cinemas. It really saddens me that 95% of the posts on this website are about Bedlington's past not its future, but maybe that's part of the answer - build on the strong sense of history in the town with a museum and heritage centre and events space - hell there's a world-famous breed of dog named after the place - maybe relocate the family history archives from Woodhorn. Throw in a cafe, a 150 seater multi-use auditorium the can be used as a theatre or cinema screen, a new library and council services section and you have a hub that isn't fighting a losing battle with Amazon and eBay. But if all else fails, if there is no sign of any development work this time next year, can Advance just rip up the concrete, move in some topsoil and grass and a few trees, dig a decent size lake and put some of those snazzy Bedlington Terrier benches in and at least we can get some use out of our town centre rather than having it fenced off.

@_pauls although I no longer live in Bedlington I always try and keep up to date with my home town is doing. I think that regardless of the councillors and regardless of what has gone on in the past with the development of the town center Bedlington redevelopment can say goodbye to 2021 - and covid19 will get the blame. Can you see any, old or new, small retail shopper owners wanting to open a new shop in 2021 - especially if there isn't a larger retailer = supermarket prepared to to be part of the development and guarantee the footfall into the development. I know many complain about new housing but to me the town, and every other town, needs new houses to cater for the growth in the population and to keep people in employment so they have money to spend in the local area. As covid has forced many to shop online, and even after the world is vaccinated, many shoppers will stick to shopping online. As my wife and I grow gracefully older and stick to our Amazon - Cotton Traders - etc. etc. online shopping it's down to the younger generations to use the high street but they are influenced (and you can't blame them) to use their electronic devices to do their shopping. Perhaps Aldous Huxley got it right🙂

You're quite right that 2020 has been quite a year. I'm sure if it hadn't been for COVID we could have had a ceremony to reflect on all the exciting leaps forward in the 5 years since the town centre redevelopment began. I'm not sure which has been my favourite year of the project so far.. 2015 ? when Arch acquired the site? But then again nothing actually happened. 2016 ? when Tesco was demolished? But apart from that nothing actually happened. 2017 ? I don't think anything much happened. 2018 ? definitely a vintage year - we got a website to keep us up to date with "progress". Not that there was any. 2019 ? was probably the standout year - we got a photograph of people in hi-vis with shovels. Apart from that nothing happened. 2020 ? Covid hit so the pace of progressed slowed a little. Maybe 2021 is going to be the big year when we see a brick laid? @Russ Wallace you say 2020 is "A Year Like No Other" - I'd say as far as progressing the future of our town, 2020 has been a year very much the same as 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. I sincerely hope you and your fellow Bedlington councillors can shame your colleagues into making sure that 2021 isn't added to that list of wasted years.