North East sigh street hurt by philanthropist

Newgate Street | Credit: Author

For 182 years, Brotherton’s Music has publicly traded on Bishop Auckland’s mile-long high street.

Once a vibrant, busy thoroughfare populated by bright stores and loud shoppers, Newgate Street has faded, coloured instead by chipboard and ‘To Let’ signs. Brotherton’s has outlived all its neighbours.

“I'm old enough to remember in my youth, when this was a thriving town. It was very, very busy and now it's completely opposite,” said store owner Andrew Loades.

Like many former mining towns in northern England, since the 1970s Bishop Auckland’s economy has weathered decades of steady decline. But, unlike others, Bishop Auckland, with a population near 25,000, has a unique saviour: an evangelical investment banker-turned-philanthropist.

Since 2012, Jonathan Ruffer has reportedly poured £50,000 a day into cultural rejuvenation initiatives, intending to increase footfall on Newgate Street. But local business owners say investments are not helping.

Last summer Durham County Council reported that one in three town commercial properties lay vacant, well over double the 14 per cent national average.

 “Regarding the high street, it’s certainly had no effect on it,” Loades said, “none whatsoever.”

Multi-millionaire stockbroker Jonathan Ruffer had no previous connection to Bishop Auckland when he intervened as the Church of England put the town’s most famous paintings, housed inside Auckland Palace, up for sale.

Ruffer bought the portraits, painted by Spanish master Francisco de Zurbarán, in 2012. He bought the palace later that year.

“I was on the lookout for some way to engage with somewhere in the North East,” 73-old-year Ruffer told the BBC. “I'm not the slightest bit interested in visitor attractions, I'm only interested in regeneration.”

Ruffer, a devout Christian, attributes his strength of purpose to a higher calling. He established The Auckland Project to transform Bishop Auckland into a “must-visit cultural destination”.

Gemma Scott, learning manager at The Auckland Project, said the charity’s mission is to “use the cultural assets that we have to revitalise the town of Bishop Auckland, both socially and economically.”

“The Auckland Project has done a huge amount to encourage new businesses to come to the area,” she said.

Faith Museum | Credit: Author

Through The Auckland Project, Ruffer has funded eight cultural attractions across town including two art galleries, a faith museum and 95ft (29m) Auckland Tower, concentrated around the market square, north of Newgate Street.

Former Masterchef contestant and Bishop Auckland native Mike Bartley plans to open his first restaurant, Jörd, on Newgate Street this year but is worried about footfall.

“Lots of things seem to be focused around the market area,” he said, “people aren't necessarily being brought over to the high street, so businesses aren't necessarily seeing an impact.”

Graham Wood, Economic Development Manager for Durham County Council, said cultural investment is vital because the town, “needs more footfall to attract replacement retailers.”

Supported by government grants through the Future High Streets Fund and Stronger Towns Program, Wood said the council aims to welcome up to 1.5 million yearly visitors to Bishop Auckland by 2032, encouraging retailers to trade on the high street.

An interactive art installation inside Auckland Tower, invites visitors to record their hopes for the town on gold foil tokens. Amongst smiley faces and wishes for less rain, one word is repeated: pride.

“The hope is that the vast majority of shops will be filled at some point,” Brotherton’s owner Loades said.

“That, in conjunction with the money spent for all the art, Spanish art gallery and the palace, will create a thriving town again. A town people can be proud of.”