Readers have been discussing the future of Carlisle’s retail after a report described a move back from big department stores, and towards leisure and smaller businesses.

A report by the director of economic development at Carlisle City Council, Jane Meek, on the Greenmarket and Market Square plan has highlighted that retail alone is no longer the future of the City Centre.

In what is being seen as a battle to preserve the future of Carlisle as a tourism/retail/cultural and shopping destination councillors have been urged to 'think out of the box' in attracting more visitors. 

Discussions have included the exciting new Citadel campus aimed at bringing in thousands of students coming to study, live, and spend their money in Carlisle. 

Carlisle City Councillors also discussed the potential of re-using the dormant Debenhams building to serve as a possible leisure or community destination.

Having their say, readers weighed up what it means for Carlisle.

Rachel Sharp thought the redevelopments will do some good: “The Citadel uni development looks amazing and hopefully an increase in students will help bars, cafes and the bookshops survive.

“They'll want independent shops, cheaper high street fashion stores and a supermarket close by, but families will have more money to spend.

“Not sure about a leisure complex at Debenhams, the new multi-million Sands development is just down the road.”

Joanne Bainbridge thought otherwise: “Let's be honest here, encouraging retail into the city centre is not fitting with the council’s plans for student development.

“There are so many extensions to out-of-town retail parks, worth millions to the council, that they have absolutely no intention of bringing more shops to the city centre.

“They want the city centre as a student-focused environment.

“Us council taxpayers can sod off to Kingstown and the new J44 development, we don't bring in enough revenue to warrant a nice city centre”

John Bell said: “I blame the national government when online shopping started to emerge, they should have charged them higher business rates/tax so that high street shops could compete on a level playing field.

“Obviously, online stores are going to be able to offer lower prices without having to pay as much on staff, rent and electricity etc.”

READ MORE: Future of Carlisle's retail paved amid reshaping plans