It is understood that the proposed building would have a frontage of 200 feet by a depth of 60 ft. The hall above the shops which would be made available to the Parish Council, would give 12,000 square feet of space.
  
Mr Benson said the company involved intended to apply for planning permission to the North Riding County Council after consulting with the Stokesley Civic Society. He added that the same company was pursuing plans for a similar development at Yarm, although these did not include the Town Hall.
  
The council agreed to look at the drawings which Mr Benson described as quite attractive. Later at a meeting of the Civic Society, Mr John Owen the secretary, said the Town Hall was not a building of any architectural significance, and the proposal should be examined seriously. He described the building as too monumental in its present form and it must be a big strain on the parish council’s resources.
  
But by a unanimous vote the parish council turned down the proposal. Mrs Mary Baker said a supermarket would be ugly no matter how the architecture was designed.
  
Stokesley Town Hall was built in 1853 in the Italian style of architecture, at the expense of Col. R. Hildyard.
  
Now in 1998 - Stokesley did finally get a super-market when Hintons established one in the High Street which subsequently was taken over by Presto. When this closed a new purpose built store was established at the east end of the town. This became Safeway and Presto’s old building in the High Street is still empty and on the property market.

This article originally appeared in the August 1998 issue of Now & Then Magazine