The high street fights back: 'I believe Darlington can thrive'

Despite two landmark stores shutting, the town’s retailers are determined to stay positive“Darlington used to be like Harrogate years ago,” says 65-year-old Jenny McGee, as she comes out of Binns, an art deco department store at one end of Darlington town centre. “People used to tell me about how all the women here wore these nice hats and coats with gloves. It was a smart place.”
The Tees Valley market town found out this week that Binns, bought by House of Fraser