Businesses welcome plans for a new shopping complex

But Stack bosses said it was going to bring the building back into use and attract people to the area.

While some businesses welcomed the scheme, others said it would harm the town centre regeneration by drawing trade away to the seafront.

Stack is a complex in Seaburn, building sites in Durham and Bishop Auckland, while plans for a site in Carlisle have also been approved.

It won't help me, it is not going to be in my favour, said Mark Hirb, owner and manager of the Crab and Waltzer. There are plenty of eateries here now, he said.

The owners of the Dog and Rabbit pub, Tony Patton, said they believe it could set back the regeneration of the town centre.

But others have welcomed the plan, including Nicholson's Butchers owner Kathryn Meadows, who said it would be fabulous and bring more people to the town. We need somewhere for the youngsters to go and the oldies too, according to Nichola Strasser, the proprietor of Anne Thomas Workwear.