Latest news with #Yarm
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Formal bid to take over closing Post Office branch now being considered
A formal bid to take over a closing Yarm Post Office is now being considered. Last month, it was confirmed that the 3D Leven Park Newsagents, at Healaugh Park, would be closing in late September after its operator resigned. This left a question mark over the future of both the unit, which is owned by supermarket giant Aldi, and the Post Office offering itself. A Post Office spokesperson previously said a retailer was interested in taking it on - and has now confirmed that an application has been lodged and is going through the onboarding process. It is not known whether this application is for a unit at Healaugh Park. Any relocation would be subject to consultation, a spokesperson said. The exact closure date of the newsagents remains unknown. Healaugh Park in Yarm (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) Aldi currently owns, and has for many years, the Healaugh Park complex as a whole, which boasts Whitworth Pharmacy, Presto Pizza, and Yarm Fast Food. The supermarket chain said it was 'working on formalising an agreement' for a new tenant to move into the newsagents. The news comes as Aldi continues to consider an extension to its shop at the complex, which it has been considering for some time. A number of options are being explored on how this can be done - but no formal plans have been submitted to Stockton Council as of yet. Chinese takeaway Yarm Fast Food said last month it had received "no official notification" regarding an Aldi expansion as of yet - and the site remains open as normal. Read More: 'Major international artist' hinted as headliner for North East festival ODEON confirms opening date for new Middlesbrough cinema Meet the 80-year-old mountain rescue volunteer with 54 years of saving lives A Post Office spokesperson said: 'We have received a resignation for the Postmaster for Healaugh Park Post Office for the end of September. 'We have an interested retailer who wants to operate Healaugh Park Post Office. Their application is currently going through the onboarding process. 'We will provide an update when able.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to build 600 new homes near Yarm unveiled
Plans to build 600 new homes near a market town have been unveiled. Developer Taylor Wimpey is preparing an outline plan for the development on land south of Green Lane, in firm is holding a two-week consultation on the plans which include building two to five-bedroom homes, including up to 20% of affordable housing as well as homes to rent. Stockton West Conservative MP Matt Vickers said he was against the "barmy" development and there were already too many properties in the town. Taylor Wimpey says feedback from the consultation will shape the planning application which it intends to submit to Stockton Borough Council in the summer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Vickers said: "The idea of building yet more housing in Yarm is utterly barmy."In recent years the Labour council has allowed the packing, stacking and racking of thousands of homes on green field sites and created unbearable pressure on our local infrastructure, from roads to schools to healthcare services. "We must ensure Yarm's unique character is preserved."The council said it could not comment on the proposals because it had not yet received a planning application. An exhibition event will be held at Yarm Sports and Social Club on Leven Road on Thursday between 15:00 and 19:00 BST. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Beloved jewellery shop launches huge ‘everything must go sale' ahead of shutting its doors in DAYS
A MUCH-LOVED jewellers is set to close its doors for good after more than 20 years on the high street. The jewellery shop has launched an 'everything must go' sale, ahead of its closure. 2 2 Whittakers Jewellers, which has been a staple of Yarm High Street for 21 years, has confirmed its final day of trading will be Saturday, May 31. The long-running store first announced its closure back in November, sparking sadness among loyal locals. Since then, big bold signs have filled the shop windows, shouting about the store's closing down sale with jewellery fans flocking in for a final bargain. But now, with the countdown officially on, fresh signs have gone up confirming its last day is just days away. The store have slashed jewellery prices from as much as 70% off. The store posted one hot deal to its Facebook, where a diamond ring was slashed from £7,350 to £2,190. The deal meant shoppers would save a massive £5,000. The family-run store has thanked customers for their loyalty over the years in a heartfelt Facebook message. It said: 'We are sad we are leaving but we have treasured the 21 years we've been here on the High Street. "We think of our customers as family and friends… we will miss you all.' Whittakers have built up a massively loyal customer base and is located between the Lucy Pittaway art store and The Keys pub. Four members of the Evans family have run the business since March 2004. Bosses of the jewellers told Teesside Live they had expanded over the years - and even opened the first Pandora shop in the country. But they added they always looked to maintain a "genuine, homey feel". Fans of the jewellers say it will leave a huge hole in the town, with one heartbroken shopper writing: 'It'll be such a big loss to the high street and to me. "I've had the pleasure of purchasing so many lovely items over the years" Another added: 'Big loss to Yarm High Street.' While a third said: "Thank you for your beautiful jewellery and fabulous staff. You will all be greatly missed" Popular retailer to RETURN 13 years after collapsing into administration and shutting 236 stores It's not the only jewellery giant feeling the pinch. G Hewitt & Son, a 154-year-old jewellers, and one of the UK's first Rolex retailers, launched a once-in-a-lifetime closing down sale last month. The shop told followers on Facebook: 'Everything must go – don't miss out on huge savings.' Meanwhile, The Watches of Switzerland Group - based in Leicestershire - has confirmed it will close 16 showrooms across the country and that 40 people were expected to leave the business. Similarly, Terence Lett Jewellers, located on the high street in Witney, Oxfordshire, has announced its decision to shut up shop. And loyal customers of Jane Allen Jewellers in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales were left distraught to hear the update and have been mourning the imminent loss. With more and more historic jewellers disappearing from high streets, Whittakers' final goodbye will be bittersweet for shoppers in Yarm. Locals now have just days left to bag a bargain and say farewell to one of the town's best-loved shops. RETAIL SECTOR STRUGGLES Its not just jewellery stores that are suffering to stay open. The retail industry has faced multiple closures this year, with ocncerns over the British high streets becoming 'ghost towns'. It's worth bearing in mind, larger retail chains often open and close branches based on customer demand and sales. Sometimes a single store might shut because a lease is ending and the chain has decided it is better to direct cash into other shops or opening new ones. However, the retail sector more broadly has struggled since the 2008 financial crash. The Centre for Retail Research has said the industry has been going through a "permacrisis" during this period. There are a number of reasons the sector is struggling, one being the rise of online shopping. This has seen footfall to high street stores fall seeing large swathes of branches close across the UK. Challenging economic conditions in recent years, including soaring inflation, have dented shoppers' wallets and purses too. While some bigger retailers have struggled to stay afloat, including Wilko, in recent years independent shops have suffered the most. The Centre for Retail Research said more than 13,000 high street shops closed in 2024, with over 11,000 of these independents. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Petition prompts Yarm parking review call
Thousands of residents and traders have signed a petition calling on councillors to reverse a decision on parking follows the replacement of one hour of free parking with a £1.50 charge for three hours in Yarm and Stockton town claimed it was driving away customers and threatening their the petition containing more than 3,400 signatures was presented, Stockton councillors voted unanimously for a motion to call upon the cabinet to reverse the policy. The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the petition read: "Free parking is crucial for supporting local businesses, encouraging footfall, and helping Yarm's economy thrive. "The council's changes to eliminate one hour free parking risks harming small businesses and deterring shoppers." 'Bustling to struggling' Paddy Morton, manager of the 170-year-old Strickland & Holt family business on High Street and chair of Yarm Business Forum, said almost all the street's businesses had signed it. He said that the council's current plan to review the charge within a year would be too late for many businesses."Footfall on the high street has already been adversely impacted by the loss of banks, post offices, lifestyle changes since Covid, the growth of online shopping, cost of living increases, inflation. "So we don't need more discouragement." Councillor Niall Innes, Conservative member for Hartburn, said: "Even a short visit now comes with a cost. "One hour free parking may seem small on paper, but for small businesses it was a difference between a bustling high street and a struggling one."He proposed a motion to send the matter back to cabinet for them to reconsider given the "vast public and business support for scrapping the new parking charges" and consult fully with businesses. The motion, which recommended cabinet reverse the policy and revert to one hour's free parking, was passed Paul Rowling, cabinet member for transport and resources and Labour member for Stockton town centre, said: "We have absolutely no intention of this not coming to cabinet because we feel local views should be heard."Stockton Council is run by a joint Labour and Independent coalition. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
