Darlington businessman opposes Coniscliffe Road plans

Council plans, submitted back in July, to pedestrianise Coniscliffe Road in Darlington hope to expand the town’s ‘café culture’ and have been welcomed by hospitality businesses on the road.

But traders around the block on Northumberland Street say closing off the road to motorists could put off customers who use it to loop back around trying to find parking.

Peter Robinson, owner of Thomas Watson Auctioneers which has stood on Northumberland Street since the 1840s, branded the plans “ridiculous”.

“I think people will be dissuaded from using us,” he said.

Peter Robinson from Thomas Watson Auctioneers on Northumberland Street in Darlington. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

“The auction process has a lot of coming and going and having this loop right around people go around the block if the loading bay is busy.

“If you’re going to have to go down Houndgate to the cinema, up past Sainsbury’s and all that carry on it isn’t going to work.

“If they funnel traffic down Houndgate, it’s not a dual carriageway, it’s a narrow street, so you’re going to create problems there.

“It’s money being spent for three or four pubs without any regard for the other businesses in the Imperial Quarter.”

Coniscliffe Road in Darlington will be pedestrianised under new plans. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

Currently, customers and suppliers to the business driving along Northumberland Street turn left up Grange Road, down Coniscliffe Road and quickly loop back around in hope of finding a parking bay (route in red on the map below).

But under the new plans motorists would have to turn up Grange Road, go down Houndgate towards Feethams, onto the A167 dual carriageway, and back to Northumberland Street to complete the same move (route in blue on the map below).

Peter believes customers “just won’t do it”.

The plans include the widening of paths, installation of seating and trees, and new electronically retractable bollards installed to close the road at each end for most of the day. It will be open from 6am to 10am to allow businesses to receive deliveries.

The scheme is expected to cost almost £1m with a bill of £940k, with £700,000 coming from the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Meanwhile Vicki Robertson, owner of neighbouring business Holly’s Doggy Deli, said she has no problem with improving the outdoor seating on Coniscliffe Road, but says this shouldn’t be at the detriment of other businesses.

File photo: Vicki Robertson with Annie the dog at her Northumberland Street shop Holly's Doggy Deli.

She said: “If I didn’t have a shop and I wanted to come and park in Northumberland Street I would be one of those people that if I had to go all the way around I wouldn’t do it.

“I do believe that we will lose potentially a lot of customers. Because of what I sell if people can’t get parked outside they aren’t going to park elsewhere and carry a big bag of dog food.

“What they’ve already done on Coniscliffe Road works – I’m not aware of there being any accidents. I don’t see what benefit it’s going to have. If people want to drink outside they’ll drink outside regardless of whether there’s cars going past.

Hospitality businesses have previously hailed the success of outdoor seating on Coniscliffe Road. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

“There must be something they can do to improve on the outdoor seating but I think they can still make it work with vehicle access as well – why change something that already works.

“Things are going to go downhill for us retailers if it goes ahead.”

Businesses on Coniscliffe Road itself previously told how they had benefited from outdoor seating since lockdown.

Daryl Clough, who runs the Orb Micropub, and often sees his outdoor seating full during the summer, says it has been a “lifesaver” for his businesses.

“I can’t say enough how much it has changed this area of Darlington,” he said. “It’s always been nice on this street, and there’s great bars.

“Coming out of Covid, when we got our outside seating, it wasn’t just a lifesaver to keep us in business it made the area buzzing and on a sunny day when you’re walking up and down everyone is having a laugh and it’s like you’re on a plaza in Italy.”

A statement from the council submitted alongside the plans, read: “A grassroots café culture has arisen, and the council seek to build on this to boost town centre vitality through improvements to the road network and public realm along Coniscliffe Road.

“The improvements will encourage more people to visit and spend their leisure time and money in the area’s cafes/ shops, in turn benefiting the local economy by supporting businesses, jobs.”