Will John Lewis be opening a new store in Darlington?

The discussion around a new John Lewis store in Darlington was brought up by independent traders following an emergency summit held by ex-MP Peter Gibson on Wednesday night.

At the meeting, traders backed calls to bring back free parking to the town centre to try and attract more people, but one business owner had an alternative solution.

Ann Gent and Tony Gent run Lions Club Charity Book Shop on Blackwellgate, a mainstay on Darlington’s high street for more than 30 years.

Ann referenced the closure of House of Fraser in April, and said what happens to the building could be pivotal to the town centre’s future.

She said: “What happens to Binns is critical, if that were to be boarded up, that would just look terrible. It needs to be handled carefully.”

She suggested attracting a big-name business to take over the building would help increase footfall.

Ann added: “For me, the solution would be to bring somebody like John Lewis into Darlington to take over the Binns building. We need something to bring people in.”

In response, a John Lewis spokesperson said: “While we’re not currently looking to expand our shop estate, we’re incredibly grateful for the warm reception amongst Darlington residents, and continue to offer a range of delivery options online.”