'Bulldoze the high street and build a giant park - Is Stockton the future of Britain?' So ran the headline in The Guardian last February... But why?

Let's ask a real hero of ours; Neil Schneider - former Chief Executive at Stockton upon Tees Borough Council and someone who real knows how to inspire change at a city scale!

Neil tells us the story of how Stockton-on-Tees came to be the canary in the mine of High Street revival, in the face of a burgeoning large-scale mall culture. He leans in to the town’s history and people, and in doing so, creates a mixed bag of unforgettable festival moments and a community that fell back in love with its town.

Tune in for Episode 24 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!