AN old-fashioned sweet shop in a town's shopping centre has temporarily closed because of a change of management.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Market Way of The Mall Blackburn opened in November 2016 employing seven staff.

Earlier this week it closed its door and cleared its shelves.

It is now expected to reopen with a new franchisee in charge in a the next few weeks.

Loraine Jones, General Manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “I can confirm that Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe is temporarily closed.

"We are working with a new franchisee who will hopefully be taking over and reopening this very popular store in the next few weeks.”

The national chain, founded in 2004 by Martin Peet, offers a collection of traditional sweets, candies, toffees, noughts, truffles, fudges and chocolates served in a ‘nostalgic atmosphere’.

It is located in a 1,300 sq ft shop near Subway.