Businesses are being sought to occupy key new shops in Bedlington town centre.

The town’s market place project has been completed by Advance Northumberland and includes six apartments and four retail units.

While all of the houses have been let, only bakery chain Greggs has taken one of the retail units. Advance, which is Northumberland County Council’s development company, is currently marketing the units and has claimed interest in them is high.

Steven Harrison, CEO at Advance Northumberland, said: “This is a significant step forward for Bedlington. The completion of this development not only improves the fabric of the town but also provides real opportunities for local businesses and residents alike.

The new shops on Bedlington High Street. Photo: Advance Northumberland.

placeholder image — The new shops on Bedlington High Street. Photo: Advance Northumberland.

“We’re already seeing increased interest in the available units and are confident this will act as a catalyst for further regeneration. All six apartments are let and we have now commenced marketing the retail units beneath.

“A total of four retail units have been added to the high street to help strengthen the town’s commercial offering and increase footfall in the area. Advance Northumberland continues to develop plans for the remaining phases, with exciting announcements expected later this year.”

The development has been dogged by difficulty – the initial contractor, Surgo, went into administration in 2024, forcing Advance to go back to the drawing board. Meldrum Construction were appointed to complete work in May 2024 and have now delivered the scheme in full.

It is the second of a four-phase project to revitalise Bedlington town centre, following on from the construction of the town’s Aldi store in 2021. Further details on the next two phases will be revealed in due course.

Coun Malcolm Robinson, the Independent councillor for Bedlington West, stressed the importance finding new tenants for the stores.

He said: “Advance can come back and tell me when they’ve got the four units filled up. We’ve got three brand new shops with to let signs in the windows.

“I’ve asked about this time and time again. I believe they should have been half the size and half the rent so we could have got locals in – I think small is beautiful.

“Anybody would break their neck to get next door to Greggs. If I was back in retail I would want to be next door to them because they attract footfall.

“At least something is going to be done. It gives us a bit more credibility as a market town.”

The town centre upgrades come alongside new new cycling and pedestrian routes for the town. A new walkway, Retail Lane, connects the high street with the Aldi store and town centre car parking.

However, residents will have to wait until 2026 for the opening of the new station on the Northumberland Line after completion of that project was delayed.

Coun Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader and cabinet member for business, growth and regeneration at Northumberland County Council, said: “These improvements are a great milestone for this project and reflect our commitment to investing in all our communities.

“Bedlington has so much potential, and this project has created a more attractive and accessible town centre for everyone. It’s fantastic to see local businesses already getting involved, and we look forward to others setting up in the near future as the regeneration of the town takes shape.”