Diana Golding moves to Buxton

11:13am Saturday 10th February 2007

SHE has run a major York shopping centre for the past 13 years, has headed a clutch of crucial city centre organisations and is even a Freeman of York.

But now Diana Golding has decided to leave her home city to take charge of another shopping centre of a similar size in the Peak District spa town of Buxton.

Diana, 52, of Rawcliffe, has been the manager of the Coppergate Centre since 1999, and was centre administrator for the previous five years.

She has been president of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce for the past six months, having previously been vice-president and at one time chaired its retail group.

She is a trustee of Shopmobility York, the charity which helps provide electric scooters and wheelchairs to enable disabled people to visit the city centre, and is a director of York Tourism Bureau and of the City Centre Partnership.

She is also a former chairwoman of Retailers Against Crime In York, which aims to tackle problems such as shoplifting, and is a governor of Burnholme Community College, which has links with the Coppergate Centre.

She said today she had decided it was time for a new challenge.

"I have lived and worked in York all my life and decided it was time to spread my wings," she said.

"I am really going to miss dreadfully all the people I have met, most of whom have become really good friends. But I will be back to visit."