Town is 'living in the Dark Ages' as businesses close and crime rate rockets
A former mining town is "living in the Dark Ages", according to residents, due to business closures and an increase in crime.
Eston in Teesside was once a bustling town but it has seen a decline in business in recent years, leaving many shop owners feeling hopeless. One trader said she plans to close her shop after Christmas, stating "there's no point". She believes her business never recovered from the impact of the Covid pandemic.
When a reporter from our sister title visited Eston on a rainy Thursday afternoon, the town centre streets were eerily quiet. The reporter spoke to Yvonne Haley, who runs Little Miracle Clothing. She said: "If you want your nails done or pizza come to Eston."
Gina Walker, who has lived in Eston for eight years, says crime is 'very bad' in the area (Gazette Live)Eston grew from two cottages in 1850 to a thriving mining community. Despite the gloomy weather, the town's rich history was evident in the stunning mural of miners and the war memorial adorned with red poppies for Armistice Day.
But Yvonne, a gran, told Teesside Live she believes nail bars and takeaways now dominate the local businesses. She recalls a time when the town was "vibrant", but says it began to decline as businesses started to close.
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"Since the Post Office closed, it's amazing how much footfall we've lost. When it gets to 1pm I'll be lucky if I have a customer," Yvonne shared. "It's been very quiet since the Post Office closed. There are no supermarkets and a café just closed too. There used to be a butchers. It's a shame because it used to be a lovely precinct."
Yvonne, who was born in Eston and lives near Eston Square with her partner, opened her clothes shop, Little Miracle Clothing, in 2019. The shop was named after her granddaughter, who was born at 23 weeks.
However, due to a lack of customers, Yvonne plans to close her shop at Christmas, saying "there's just no point". She feels her business has "never really recovered from Covid" and that "no one has got any money" to spend.
While walking through the streets, Gina Walker, who was on her way to meet friends in Redcar, expressed her concerns about crime in the town. "There's nothing much good about it (Eston). There's only one bank but there used to be three."
"We could do with a little Aldi or a Tesco. Crime is very bad. There's shoplifting and yobs on scooters, about eight went past me yesterday."
Gina, who used to work at James Cook University Hospital but is now retired, feels there isn't much sense of community in Eston, although she does have "got good neighbours".
David Taylor, a Tory councillor for Eston, has said that the police, council and police crime commissioner are all working together to tackle crime in the area. He stated: "Like many areas in the North East, Eston does have its issues with crime and anti-social behaviour. That said, having spoken to the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, the latest figures show crime in the area has significantly reduced over the last six months with burglaries and ASB down and the number of people charged with shoplifting up."
He also added: "As part of this community, I speak to people in Eston every single day so I genuinely do understand the frustrations that are being expressed here. But that's largely because people just aren't aware of what is actually happening here and what is in the pipeline."
"Back in March, our MP Jacob Young, secured £20million for the TS6 area. Another £20 million has since been secured on top of that, which I am yet to see reported anywhere."
"Of that £40million, £8million has been set aside for Eston Precinct which will go a long way to bringing more shops to the area. The reason the precinct is unoccupied at the moment is because retailers know that huge changes are coming. They're not going to fill units that won't be there for long."
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"One issue I am keenly aware of is the uncertainty facing the current occupiers in the precinct - some have been there for 17 years. The council does need to do more to reassure those businesses about their future and I'm pushing for this."
"With regard to the Post Office, having spoken to the Regional Manager, they're currently operating on the basis that the Normanby and Whale Hill branches cover the area's needs. However, following the redevelopment of Eston Precinct, if the footfall increases like we expect it to, this is something that the Post Office will look at again."
Eston was once a thriving mining town, thanks to the discovery of ironstone in Eston Hills by Henry Bolckow and John Vaughan in 1841. But now, residents feel like they're stuck in the past.
Kevin McBride, a dad-of-two who moved to Eston a year ago, said: "This particular area is not that good. There aren't enough shops for vegans and there are no supermarkets."
"I have to walk 30 minutes to Tesco in Normanby. We're living in the Dark Ages around here."
Another shopkeeper, who didn't want to be named, had mixed feelings about Eston. He said it has "good and bad parts like everywhere" but the "vast majority of people are alright". He added: "There are a lot of nice people in Eston." One thing he didn't like about Eston was "buses are terrible".
Jacob Young, the Conservative MP for Redcar, responded: "We have worked extremely hard to unlock the £40 million which is going to help transform the TS6 area and specifically secure a bright future for Eston Precinct. It's clear that while the redevelopment brings temporary uncertainty for current precinct businesses, it also paves the way for long-term prosperity and an enhanced retail environment that will benefit the entire community in Eston."
"I do share Cllr Taylor's commitment in pushing for transparency and support for the local businesses which currently occupy the Precinct. Many of them have stuck with Eston through thick and thin and for many years. They deserve our support."
Residents agree that more shops and facilities are needed to revitalise the town and bring Eston back to its vibrant heyday. During my visit to Eston, I found that residents generally agreed that the town needs more shops and facilities to inject some life into it. However, there are some friendly people in the area.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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