The closure of Middlesbrough's flagship Next store on Linthorpe Road has been a "real blow" to its high street. The once-bustling retail unit, a key anchor for Middlesbrough town centre, is the latest casualty in a national trend that continues to reshape town centres, as consumers shift their spending online and major retailers streamline physical locations.

The news has drawn sharp and emotional responses from both political sides, with Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen describing the town centre as being in a "dire state," while Middlesbrough's Labour Mayor Chris Cooke called the closure "regrettable" and acknowledged it as part of a wider transformation in retail behaviour.

"This is a real blow, not just for the staff who will be affected, but for the people of Middlesbrough who rely on high street stores like Next," Mayor Houchen told Teeside Live.

"Let's be absolutely frank, the town centre is in a dire state and in desperate need of regeneration. To say anything else would be frankly dishonest."

The Tees Valley mayor pointed to ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the area through the Middlesbrough Development Corporation, an initiative he launched to bring "real change" to the struggling town centre.

But he also turned his fire on central government, blaming rising costs and broken promises for creating an inhospitable environment for town centre businesses.

"Labour promised to abolish business rates, that hasn't happened," he said.

"They promised not to raise taxes, but businesses are now paying more through the jobs tax. We need the Labour government to join the party and stop putting up barriers to recovery."

In response, a Treasury spokesperson insisted the government remains "pro-business," noting that employment levels are high and that relief measures are in place to help the high street.

These include a freeze on the business rates multiplier for 90% of properties until 2026, 40% relief for 250,000 retail and leisure premises next year, and a planned permanent business rate cut starting in 2026.

Meanwhile, Mayor Chris Cooke stressed that while losing a major retailer like Next is disappointing, it should be seen in the context of a shifting town centre model.

"This is part of a national trend driven by the dominance of online shopping and changes in customer behaviour," he said. "We've got to get the mix right, a combination of retail, leisure, and new places to live."