44 | Tees Business
DOME
IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Mandale plan to create“ spectacular” new shopping arcade
Tees property specialists Mandale are looking to breathe new life into Northallerton town centre by investing £ 1m into creating a new shopping arcade with domed glass roof.
Mandale, who have been at the heart of a series of Grade A commercial property refurbishments across the North-East and beyond, are applying for planning consent to revitalise retail units on the North Yorkshire market town’ s Regency Mews.
Along with a parade of six retail units overlooking the Tesco car park that the firm has owned for 30 years, Mandale recently invested an undisclosed fee to purchase three further high street units.
The two parades are linked via an existing openair mews – but plans are afoot to transform the outdated cut into an attractive, modern shopping destination that retains its old-world charm.
Mandale property specialist Joe Darragh said the firm is excited about the prospect of giving the town’ s shoppers an investment boost.
“ It will be spectacular when it’ s complete,” he said.“ We’ re going to create something very special that we’ re confident business owners, residents and visitors will all love.”
The high street area boasts a number of national brands including Costa Coffee, Pizza Express, New Look and Waterstones, as well as local independent names such as Betty’ s tearooms, Lewis & Cooper and Barker’ s department store.
But Darragh believes positive steps need to be taken to avoid a deterioration in the offering.
He added:“ Northallerton has a won a reputation as a lovely place to live and visit but last time I counted there were 12 shops vacant on the high street. Twenty years ago that was unheard of.
“ Unfortunately, M & S and Morrisons are among those who’ ve pulled out, but we’ ve always been big fans of Northallerton and we’ re keen to invest