Middlesbrough town centre is on the up.

In 2024, a host of new leisure development opened, helping to transform the town centre into a regional leisure destination and attract more visitors.

Now we hope to build on that positive momentum as we move into 2025.

Due to a national decline in high street retail, Middlesbrough Council has aimed to rebalance the town centre economy to attract more people to live, work, learn and spend their leisure time here.

At Captain Cook Square, Level X has opened in the former TJ Hughes store, with a state-of-the art electric karting track, golf and vintage gaming machines taking over the first floor and bowling, VR gaming and karaoke pods among the attractions packing out the ground floor.

Across the square, a huge new soft play centre and inflatable theme park has opened in the former Wilko building by Fun Shack Group while high-end restaurant Bazaar features an open kitchen and cuisine inspired by flavours from across the world.

The former shopping centre – bought by Middlesbrough Council in 2020 to rebalance the town centre economy – will also be home to a boutique cinema in 2025 with work already underway. And the town centre’s multiplex cinema has been rescued by Odeon, who will reopen in the town in the building vacated by former owner Cineworld.

The town centre is already home to thriving bars and restaurants in our independent quarter around Baker and Bedford Street, on Linthorpe Road and on Albert Road.

In Exchange Square in the town’s historic quarter, high-end cabaret cocktail bar and restaurant Bloom has opened close to Middlesbrough Railway Station, which itself is set to be completely revamped in a £34m project to add a new platform and secure more services.

2025 could be the year of STACK, which has opened at Exchange Square on the site of a former nightclub.

Its food, drink and entertainment has already proven popular with revellers who are looking forward to even more development in the area as more bars and eateries open nearby.

Exchange Square

But the progress doesn’t end with leisure.

Tenants will soon move into new houses in Gresham, and new residents are settling in at St Hilda’s where our thriving digital sector has been boosted by the relocation of thriving Middlesbrough company Double Eleven into the brand new Boho X building and the announcement that the Old Town Hall will be brough back into public use.

In Centre Square, Middlesbrough Central Library will reopen in 2025 after a multi-million pound refurbishment which will see a brand new children’s library and a host of improvements to open up the magnificent Carnegie-designed building and make it accessible for all.

Government funding is also being spent to create an all-new employment and training hub in the Cleveland Centre, which is home to the new Live Well Centre which has provided a boost to public health in a convenient, town centre location.

Thousands are already studying in Middlesbrough town centre at Teesside University and the recently opened, £14m Northern School of Art – while we’re set to welcome a brand new secondary school building to Middlehaven.

Hear more below from Middlesbrough Council head of economic growth and infrastructure Sam Gilmore, strategic business manager Debbie Ingoldsby and digital manager Dan Watson. They explain what we’ve done so far – and the exciting things to come.