North East market towns ‘suffering’

Berwick upon Tweed will be 'more resilient'

Market towns in the region are suffering worse from the recession, according to a new government study.

The study, carried out by the Government’s Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) suggests that unemployment has risen by a third more in market towns than in other areas.

A report by the rural watchdog, which draws on research by Action for Market Towns, the Centre for Local Economic Strategies and the Rural Evidence Research Unit at Birkbeck, University of London, suggests that the number of vacant shop units in market towns is also increasingly.

Chris Wade, chief executive of Action for Market Towns, said each town faced its own challenges.

He suggested those further away from cities, such as Berwick in Northumberland, could potentially suffer less because they would be slightly more independent.

Those closer to cities, such as Hexham, could be more exposed because job losses in Newcastle might affect the commuting workforce.

And he said that towns such as Alnwick, which rely on tourism, “faced a period of uncertainty.”

Mr Wade said: “It is vital that steps are taken to ensure that our market towns emerge from the recession as prosperous places and those local economies are not devastated.”

Recommendations include offering better access to Government business and economic support funds, urging local authorities to encourage change of use for empty space and to give better access to job seeking and training opportunities.

Roger Turner, head of rural economies at the Commission for Rural Communities, added: “We are working to ensure the impacts that job losses and closures in market towns can have on rural economies are understood, and to ensure funding and support is made available.”