ONE of the key figures in the revival of Bishop Auckland's commercial fortunes is stepping down later this year.

Town centre manager Derek Toon retires at the end of August after four years in the post.

He wants to travel and spend more time with his family, and says it is time to bring in a new manager with fresh ideas.

Mr Toon said: "I will be 60 on September 7 and feel it is time to give someone else a crack at the job.

"I arrived at a difficult time for Bishop Auckland and hope I have helped to improve things for traders and residents.

"It is a wonderful town and there are a lot of good people working hard to make it even better."

Mr Toon is employed by Wear Valley District Council and enjoys a close relationship with traders and the Town Centre Forum, whose marketing and promotions sub-group was recently voted the most enterprising in the North-East.

The number of empty shops in the town has fallen from 66 to 20 since 2003, business owners have reformed a traders' association, there has been support for Christmas lights and other initiatives and a busy events programme attracts thousands of visitors a year.

Last year, Mr Toon won an Association of Town Centre Management award for commissioning an access survey.

He also set up the Bishop Auckland website, which attracts more than 100,000 hits every month.