The opening of a new shopping centre on York's outskirts may not have brought the predicted doom and gloom to small local shops.

Indeed, one store has actually increased its passing trade as a result of people travelling to the £90 million Monks Cross Shopping Centre.

And other village stores in the area around the centre say its opening in September has had no effect on their business.

Nigel Howard, who owns Huntington Village Stores, said shops like his were totally different to the large stores and supermarkets at Monks Cross.

He said in the last year trade had increased every week, but he did not feel this had anything to do with the new development.

"Local people may be spending more with us," he said.

But a spokesman for the Happy Shopper in Huntington went further, saying the new centre had been a positive benefit for his store.

He said people travelling to Monks Cross were stopping at the local shop, particularly because of its low alcohol prices. "We have got increased trade with the people who work there and from shoppers as well," he added.

"We were a bit worried about it opening, but it's worked out well."

The potential impact of the expansion of out of town shopping areas around York has caused concern, particularly when a national report suggested in September that big supermarkets in out of town sites had taken up to 50 per cent of custom from traditional market towns and district shopping centres across the country.

But the operations manager for the Monks Cross centre, Tony Spray, said he was not surprised by the reaction from the local shops. "We would hope to complement the other traders, as opposed to combating them."

He added the centre had tended to spread its advertising outside the immediate York area and he could understand that some smaller shops would pick up passing trade.

Mr Spray said vehicle numbers in the centre car park were increasing and BHS were expected to start fitting their new store on January 11 and to open in the spring.

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