Tough questions have been posed by the public over plans for the future of Bedlington town centre.

Questions were fired at officials from Northumberland County Council and its arms-length development company Advance Northumberland at a meeting in the town this week. Council leader Glen Sanderson also faced a grilling from residents, as the council's regeneration manager Rob Strettle and Advance Northumberland's director of projects, Andrew Mowbray, outlined possible options for Bedlington's town centre regeneration.

The long-running scheme is aimed at improving amenities, attracting new investment into the town and giving local people greater choice. However, the town has grown frustrated at a lack of progress with the regeneration project which has so far delivered an Aldi and a new Greggs - but has also seen a contractor fall into administration and work frequently stall. Speaking at the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Committee on Wednesday, Mr Mowbray conceded that things hadn't been moving forward.

• Read more: "We had everything in Bedlington, but we have nothing now" - Northumberland residents hit out over 'lack of investment
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He said: "I was here 15 months ago and we felt we had got somewhere. Unfortunately the contractor went into administration with the project half-built.

"We have now secured a new contractor, Surgo, after quite an extensive process. They will be taking over the site on Monday. We're hoping to bring some retailers onto the site and that is starting to look a bit more promising.

"We're finding that retailers are looking to invest in sites again."

The town's former Greggs unit will be demolished by January 2024, with new retail units completed by next September. Advance are continuing to market three remaining units as well as three development plots.

Mr Strettle then explained the town's "project pipeline" - a series of concept projects that could be brought forward to improve the town. These included a possible hotel, although market tests found little interest in investing in such a business in the town.

He said: "The trick is to make Bedlington a compelling place to be in and to come back to. We want it to be a special place."

On the hotel plan, he added: "If there is growth in employment opportunities in the area, that might bring more value to the idea. Once we know what is happening with the Britishvolt site, we will do some more market testing."

Some residents at the meeting were not hugely impressed with the presentation.

Business owner Gareth Fernandes said: "Bedlington is an independent town. Stop trying to whack your head against the wall trying to attract large national retailers here who don't want to come here.

"You can't even get a public toilet, never mind a leisure centre."

Resident John Hall added: "Nothing is listened to. You couldn't run a bath."

And the town's deputy mayor, Victoria Thompson, said; "I'm concerned that there is contempt for Bedlington. It seems if you're in the right postcode, you can get the funding."

Mr Strettle said he was "really sorry" Mrs Thompson felt the town had been treated with contempt, and pointed out the town had seen "millions" invested in it. A Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service found that, since 2017, Bedlington has received £13.01m in capital spend by the county council - the third lowest of Northumberland's 10 largest towns.

Leader Glen Sanderson has since argued that with "all the work under way" that investment will be over £20m. He also pointed out this was 'almost double' the £11.68m spent between 2011/12 and 2017, under the council's previous Labour administration.