The Popular Newsagent will close its doors in March, as part of wider regeneration plans for the towns Middleton Grange....
10th Jan 2025
A popular local newsagents is reportedly set to close its doors in just weeks as the number of stores leaving the towns shopping centre accelerates.
SuperNews, is set to close its doors for good in March 2025, marking the end of yet another business in the town's Middleton Grange Shopping Centre and coming just months after the towns iconic indoor market was closed after 50 years of serving the local public.
This closure is said to be part of broader plans tied to the multi-million-pound regeneration of the ageing Middleton Grange Shopping centre, which has suffered decades of under-investment and disrepair. .
SuperNews, a small but beloved newsagent has reportedly served local residents for decades, but won’t be the only casualty in the increasing list of retailers shunning the local town centre a source told Durham & Teesside Today. In a double blow to the community, fashion retailer Select is also set to shut up shop in just weeks. The announcement has left many locals questioning the future of Middleton Grange as more stores choose to leave Hartlepool entirely.
A Struggling Hub
Critics argue the decline of the shopping centre is no coincidence. Sky-high rents, punitive business rates, and a sharp drop in footfall compared to neighbouring towns has created the perfect storm for retailers. Many small business owners claim that turning a profit in Middleton Grange has become simply 'impossible'.
Concerns over the centre’s viability have also spilled over to the town’s ambitious regeneration plans, where its claimed The Hartlepool Development Corporation, who now owns the shopping centre & is tasked with transforming the area, now facing a tough challenge, as the exodus of businesses raise doubts about whether investing in the shopping centre is still a worthwhile proposition.
Parking Problems Adding Fuel to the Fire
On top of the challenges posed by the costs of running a business day to day, proposed changes to parking concessions have sparked outrage. The proposed removal of free Sunday parking and recent hikes in parking charges have been described by some as "the final nail in the coffin." These increases are said to be driving away customers to other towns and forcing businesses to reevaluate their presence in Hartlepool.
For long-standing traders like SuperNews, the combination of high costs and dwindling customer numbers has simply become unsustainable, as its claimed the closure of the towns Indoor Market in September 2024 has led to a dramatic drop in footfall for the business.
The Bigger Picture
The closures of SuperNews and Select are more than just a loss of two shops—they are a reflection of wider issues now facing Hartlepool’s retail sector. With the community watching anxiously, the question remains: Can Middleton Grange now actually be saved, or is this the beginning of the end for the town’s central shopping hub?