Labour MP Chris McDonald has praised a new independent business on Stockton High Street, saying the arrival of Taylor's Bakery & Deli is another sign of the town centre "coming back to life".
McDonald, the MP for Stockton North and Minister for Science, Innovation and Investment, said he had visited the bakery over the summer and had been impressed by the response from local residents. He was elected to Parliament in 2024 and has since made jobs, investment and regeneration in Stockton, Billingham and Norton a central part of his constituency work.
He said:
"Another new business bringing Stockton High Street back to life."
McDonald added:
"I called into Taylor's Bakery & Deli over the summer and it was fantastic. Judging by the queues, plenty of other people thought so too."
Independent businesses part of Stockton's regeneration
The opening comes as Stockton continues a long-running programme to reshape its town centre around a mix of retail, leisure, culture, housing and public space.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's regeneration strategy includes support for independent businesses, bringing empty units back into use and attracting more restaurants and leisure venues into the centre.
The council has previously described independent retailers as an important part of its strategy for creating a more resilient high street, alongside larger national businesses.
Stockton Waterfront driving new activity
The biggest physical change has been the opening of Stockton Waterfront, created on the former Castlegate Shopping Centre site.
The new urban park reconnects the High Street with the River Tees and includes space for events, markets, festivals and performances. Local business groups have argued that the increase in visitors should create opportunities for food, drink, retail and service businesses in the town centre.
The council's wider blueprint also envisages new housing, health facilities and commercial development around central Stockton and North Thornaby.
McDonald backs 'shop local' message
McDonald's intervention focused on the role small firms can play in making regeneration visible at street level.
His message was accompanied by the hashtags \#ShopLocal, \#SmallBusiness and \#Regeneration, linking the success of individual businesses such as Taylor's Bakery & Deli to the wider effort to attract footfall and investment back into Stockton town centre.
For McDonald, the queues outside a new local bakery are a small but tangible sign of what regeneration is meant to achieve: more independent businesses opening their doors, more people using the High Street and greater confidence in Stockton's future.
