SHOPPERS have been left devastated after a flagship cheese store to close next week after 35 years in business.
The cheese retailer announced it will be rolling down the shutters of its original store in Herefordshire.
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Mousetrap Cheese in Leominster is set to shut its store after a remarkable three-decade run.
Hundreds of cheese lovers from the area flocked to the store to nab their savoury favourites.
But they will now have to take their basket elsewhere as the store is set to close in a matter of days.
Owners Claire and Matt Knowles took to Facebook to share the heartbreaking news.
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The statement read: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closure of Mousetrap Cheese in Leominster – our last day open will be Friday April 5.
“Leominster was the first of the Mousetrap Cheese shops opened over 35 years ago.
“While it was always the quietest of the three shops, we were able to manage that and make it worth staying open.”
They blamed the skyrocketing costs and the dwindling foot traffic.
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They added: “Unfortunately, the cost of living and the reduction in footfall in the town (mostly due to council car park greed) has beaten us.
“While Mousetrap Cheese is still a thriving online business and Hereford and Ludlow are well used and safe, our electricity bills quadrupling within a year as well as very many other increases in cost is just too much for us to continue running in Leominster.”
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The decision has left local customers decision devastated.
Many fear the move will now leave their once-thriving town “ghosted”.
A local shopper fumed: “Horrible news. It’s terrible what’s being done to our small town high streets.”
Another blasted: “Our little town is dying a slow death”
Others praised the little shop and lamented the loss of another cherished local business.
One user said: “Such sad news. You have been amazing and I have loved buying your cheeses for special trips to other parts of the country when visiting friends and for that extra special birthday or Christmas gift.”
Another added: “Very sorry to hear this. We were always known for individual shops and good service in Leominster but now it’s getting like ghost town.
“It’s time the council pulled its socks up and got to grips with all of what’s happening to Leominster.”
But not everything is lost as owners confirmed the branches in Hereford and Ludlow, Shropshire will remain open.
The owners explained: “We hope you continue to support us in Hereford and Ludlow and of course you can buy our cheese online.”
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It comes as a family favourite pizza chain is to shut dozens of locations across the country in May.
Papa Johns has confirmed the locations of 43 restaurants it will shut within the next two months.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included UK Flooring Direct, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
Last year, around 14% of insolvencies were in retail businesses, according to official figures.
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