AS The Northern Echo launches its Shopping for a Future campaign, traders in Bishop Auckland have vowed to lead the way.

Bishop Auckland, home to the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham since the 13th Century, was once the venue of one of the region's strongest markets.

But after a number of difficult years many businesses in the town face an uncertain future as visitor numbers decline, threatening their livelihoods.

With the support of The Northern Echo's campaign, traders will challenge the local authorities to tackle the main issues they feel threaten the prosperity of their town.

Many will participate in special offer days, to be held every Thursday, which is also market day, and display posters as a sign of their unity.

In Bishop Auckland, traders feel a lack of central car park spaces and disabled parking restrictions are discouraging people to visit the town.

Margaret Ellis, of the traders' action group, said: "We need to free up the central spaces to encourage people to pop into Bishop Auckland and have a browse. If parking is easier for people, when they come to use the bank, for example, they are more likely to take their custom into shops and cafes."

Many town centre businesses have also reported a fall in trade since the relocation of the Asda supermarket from the Newgate Centre to the former site of Wilson's Forge, on the outskirts of town.

Mrs Ellis said: "Hopefully, through this campaign, we will increase the number of people visiting the town, seeing what it has to offer, and keep them coming back.

"They key is encouraging people to shop in their local town and, in turn, support local businesses."

Wear Valley District Council leader Councillor Olive Brown, said: "I back The Northern Echo campaign 100 per cent because we want Bishop Auckland to be the best market town in the North East."

The town's MP, Derek Foster, said: "People already visit the national stores in Bishop Auckland, but we want them to discover the range and quality of other businesses, which I'm sure will pleasantly surprise them.

"What is exciting about this campaign is that Bishop Auckland traders are working very hard to promote themselves as part of a community. The only way to do that is to attract more people into the towns to spend their money locally. The more we can sustain individual businesses the more character and attractiveness we can give to the town."