A RETAIL presence in Accrington for more half a century ended yesterday when the town’s Marks and Spencer branch closed for good.

Shoppers lamented its demise describing the chain’s decision to shut the Broadway branch after 54 years of trading as a "body blow" to the town centre.

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The store, which has entrances in Broadway and in the Arndale Centre, is to be replaced with a new M&S foodhall, six-and-a-half miles away in Rawtenstall, which opens today at 10am.

All shop staff from the Accrington branch will join the Rawtenstall team or other nearby M&S stores.

The 7,500 sq ft store will be the chain’s largest foodhall in East Lancashire.

Located in the New Hall Hey Retail Park, close to Rawtenstall town centre, customers will benefit from free parking.

The store in Broadway was looking somewhat depleted on its final day with many of the shelves sparsely stocked or empty, with significant fridge space in the food area closed off completely.

There was a 70 per cent off clearance sale in the store and reduction stickers on many items of fresh produce.

Jean Young, 60, from Clayton-le-Moors, is blind and has shopped at the store around five times a week, assisted by her guide dog, Yoko.

She said: “I shop for myself and a 90-year-old neighbour who is housebound. We both like the high quality of the food.

“I know the layout and so does Yoko, she knows which counter to go to.

“We’ve also formed a strong bond with many of the staff. They’re so helpful and friendly, they look after us.

“To travel to Blackburn or Rawtenstall would be very difficult for us.

“There’s nothing else similar in Accrington once Marks shuts.”

Mrs Joan Baron, 72, said she was ‘disappointed’ with the decision to close the store.

She said: “It has been open for about 50 years so it is a sad day. I think they are making a big mistake, because it is too far to go to the new store.

“I am disappointed by the last day sales. They hardly reduced anything, which is not really fair.”

Rosemary Hargreaves, 79, said: “I am going to miss it because it is the only decent shop we have got in Accrington."

Sharafat Shah, managing director of Attock Network Products Ltd, Baxenden, said: “I think it is such a shame it is going."

“I come here for my lunch every day so I will have to find somewhere else.”

The 50-year-old who has lived in the area all his life said: “There always used to be a huge trail of people going from the market into the store.“I think all these other smaller businesses nearby will lose out because M&S is going.

“It will be a big loss to the community.”