'This is not just a shopping centre - it's a community'

Business owners and shoppers in Wakefield say they are breathing a sigh of relief, as plans to demolish The Ridings centre look set to be scrapped. But will a new idea to revive the 1980s American-style mall be money well spent?

"I'm absolutely overjoyed," says Amanda Condones, who runs a women's boutique.

"It's not just a shopping centre, it's also a community where people come. It's used for a lot of social events."

Condones opened her first shop in the city in 2013 and moved to the centre a couple of years ago, hoping it would help her attract more business.

But this year has been challenging.

Back in February, the previous Labour-led council announced plans to demolish The Ridings, to make way for its new Cathedral Quarter masterplan.

"It was awful. There was such negativity," says Condones.

"Every day I've got people coming in and the thing on the tongue is, 'when's it coming down, how long you've got, where you're going to go?'."

But when Reform took control in May, the plans were put on ice.

Condones' shop, Luella, is on the top floor - opposite a number of empty units.

Opened in 1983, The Ridings was one of the first American-style shopping malls in the UK, but more recently has been less than two thirds occupied.

And that was one of the reasons the previous council wanted to knock it down.

The so-called Cathedral Quarter development would have included a new public square and green spaces aimed at families.

There were also plans for a cinema, new library, museum and extensive car parking.

But those proposals were controversial.

"What a waste of money, knocking a perfectly good place down," says Kevin Conyers, who is with his wife Ann as she browses the clothes rails.

Ann and Kevin, who are in their 70s, tell me they have memories of bringing Kevin's mother to the centre and watching the fish that used to live in a pond there.

Ann thinks it's "brilliant" the centre is staying and wants to see "things for the older end, so that they can go socialise and meet up with friends".

Around the corner, Tracy Raynor runs a craft and gift shop.

Raynor's business began as a market stall and she has built it up over the last two decades.

She says the decision is a weight off her shoulders, but she also has concerns - especially as both Primark and M&S prepare to move out.

"We've got to try and get some big companies in, or some small companies in, to try and fill the shops up.

"Without the footfall people aren't going to come into the shops that are already here, and it's just going to go downhill."

The new proposals were put forward following a public consultation which received more than 3,000 responses.

Wakefield Council leader Karl Johnson said: "Our plan will inject a new lease of life into the centre and deliver the cafes, restaurants, bars, leisure attractions and cultural activities that complement retail."

Johnson declined to give a timescale for the project, but said he wanted it to be up and running "as fast as possible".

As for attractions in this new destination - he has floated Formula One simulators, "robot wars" and escape rooms.

But is there a market for it?

Retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth says she hopes the plan "breathes some fire into the centre", but questions if that can work in a building which is "quite dated and built for different times".

However she also understands the nervousness - pointing to Bradford where the Broadway Shopping development remained a hole in the ground for a decade.

"These are the trade-offs and challenges people running councils face," she says.

Outside the centre, I meet Sarah Padden and her daughter Imogen.

"It needs a massive injection of cash," says Padden.

Padden runs Cafe19, close to the cathedral, and believes if The Ridings had been demolished other businesses in the city centre would have seen a drop in trade.

She welcomes the move towards hospitality, but says the council needs to move fast.

"My friend's got the Silly Goose Bar in The Ridings, which is a new business and it's brilliant, but they stand alone at the minute, so they need some other businesses like them."

And Imogen would like to see officials introduce more for teenagers to do.

"Everyone moans about everyone being on the streets and causing trouble, but there's nowhere to go.

"There's bowling, but under-18s aren't allowed in past eight, there's a cinema but it's tiny and not everyone's got money to do stuff."

But one part of the original plan remains in place - four nearby tower blocks are still expected to be demolished.

"These tower blocks can be seen for miles, like a beacon for Wakefield. Why demolish them?" asks Terri Gibson, who has lived in Tudor House for 41 years.

New homes are being planned across the road, on the site of the former Wilko.

And in a letter seen by the BBC, VICO homes, which leases the flats, says it remains committed to supporting residents find new accommodation.

But Gibson has written to the leader of the council urging a rethink.

"Why have we never been consulted or had any say in the future of our homes?"

The U-turn is not yet complete; the plans still have to be debated and voted on by senior councillors.

And, away from the council, there is some vocal political opposition.

Wakefield's Labour MP Simon Lightwood says: "To fundamentally change Wakefield's city centre regeneration plans is a backward step.

"Wakefield needs ambition and a vision for growth, not a scaled-back approach that risks squandering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our city."

The plans are due to be discussed by the council cabinet on Tuesday from 17:30 GMT.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.