TWO petitions have been launched to stop the closure of an entrance to a shopping centre.

An online petition has been launched on Change.org to stop the closure of the entrance to the Newgate Shopping Centre from Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland.

The petition, set up by Harley Balmer-Howieson, states: “The plans, submitted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have the potential to detrimentally impact our local traders and businesses, one issue being the effect on the flow of people and accessibility to the area.

“Bishop Auckland's high street and traders are already struggling, especially after the pandemic, and proposals such as this that may threaten our local traders and businesses should be thoroughly opposed."

The traders of Fore Bondgate have also started their own physical petition.

Sam Zair said: “Over the next few days, we will be standing outside on the passage to from Fore Bondgate to get signatures of the petition.

“We are specifically aiming this at both the DWP, who are behind the plans, and Edinburgh house who owns the property.

“I want to make it clear that we have no problem with the Job Centre moving in, it’s the closure of the entrance way.

“There are plenty of empty spaces in town to move into, this is unnecessary.

“A handful of people have come into my café with a lot of questions, and I think there a lot of worry about it.”

The shop owners are taking it in turns to gather signatures.

Diana Alderson from Labyrinth on Fore Bondgate said: “We are trying through the Future of Fore Bondgate Facebook group to get people into the street and this will be catastrophic for us.

“No one will look at this area as a retail site anymore, there’s so many empty shops already.

“I am surprised at how strongly people outside of Bishop Auckland care for it, we have had signatures from Hunwick, Shildon, and Wolsingham.

“Everyone one wants them to think again about the entrance.”

The plans will now go to committee, previously the plans would have been decided by a delegation.

The online petition can be accessed via: change.org/StopNewgateClosure