A&M BARGAINS in Darwen is to close after 14 years of trading.

The store in Railway Road, which sells everything from food to clothes and toiletries, was opened in 1998 by Amanda Whittingham.

But after a steady decline in trade in recent years, Ms Whittingham has decided to close.

She said: “When I opened 14 years ago we did really well.

“Then, there was no Sainsbury’s or anything like that, and Railway Road was the main shopping strip.

“At dinnertime we would be full and I’d often have four tills going.

“But over the past three years it’s been a steady decline in trade and I simply cannot make ends meet.

“Now is the time to close, although I don’t want to.”

Ms Whittingham said a deal had been agreed with pub chain JD Wetherspoon to take over the building, but she was waiting for the final signature.

She said: “The contracts are agreed and they negotiated a price.

“They said they weren’t going to be in for Christmas so I could have the festive trade.

“I don’t know what is happening at the moment but I certainly haven’t heard they are pulling out.”

Nobody at JD Wetherspoon was prepared to comment.

A&M Bargains employs about nine staff, who all face redundancy.

Ms Whittingham said: “It is very sad and I have told them I don’t want to close.

“But I simply cannot drag people in here.

“I put two big adverts out over Christmas, but it was a waste of £500.

“It is very sad, not just for me, but for the town.”

Chairwoman of the Darwen Shop And Business Association Eileen Guy said she would be sorry to see Ms Whittingham go.

She said: “It’s not good. It is one less thing we have in Darwen.

“I just hope there won’t be more following suit as January and February are notoriously quiet months.

“It is bad news for Darwen and Amanda. She is not from here but she spends eight hours a day in the town and will be missed.”

Prices of all stock, except food, has been reduced at the store in a bid to clear it before closing down, including everything in the jewellery cabinet, which is half price.