AFTER reading some negativity on social media and on this letters page about Bishop Auckland, me and my husband took a visit in to town on Saturday.

We spotted three new shops open and improvements to the shopfronts on others. There was work going on in the Market Place, including a new exciting viewing tower, and the mining art gallery had lots of people going in and out. All the tearooms were full of people.

Work was ongoing inside the castle walls and there was a beautiful poppy display on the balcony of our town hall.

The town team volunteers had organised an event with stiltwalkers and young people dressed up as zombies. There were people from the local dance school entertaining the crowds, and the Newgate Centre was also very busy.

So anyone who says there is nothing going on in Bishop Auckland should think again!

J Wales, Bishop Auckland