Traders taking the lead to improve area and boost morale

TOWN centre businesses are uniting in efforts to breathe fresh life into their high street, six months on from the sudden closure of the Gateshead Flyover.

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The A167 flyover was shut last December due to structural concerns and is now earmarked for demolition.

Its closure and the resulting disruption around the town centre sparked worries about the future of businesses on neighbouring Gateshead High Street, with concerns that already struggling shops and restaurants would suffer even more.

But, determined to boost the area's reputation and encourage more footfall on the high street, local traders are pushing for visible change.

A Friends of Gateshead Town Centre group is leading litter picks, graffiti removal, and the installation of flower beds outside shops.