AN ELDERLY shopkeeper will have to close her fabrics and clothing shop due to a lack of customers, causing her high street to “die out”.

Barbara Barclay, 80, the owner of BB Designs in High Street, Hurstpierpoint, claims that business has reduced dramatically in the village over recent months.

Ms Barclay will be closing her shop for good at the end of August as she can no longer afford to keep paying the bills to run it.

A fire in the street last September which destroyed much of a Co-op supermarket, resulting in its temporary closure before it moved to a charity shop to sell goods, has played a part in the lack of customers visiting the high street claims Ms Barclay.

She said: “There are about six shops here that are struggling and I’m not sure when the Co-op will be reopening fully, which would bring a lot more people here.

“I have been at my shop for about four or five years now after previously owning a shop in Ditchling for 12 years.

“The same thing happened there but I have been in the business a long time, I have had a good innings.

“The Co-op moved into the Hurst Community Charity Shop building a few months after the fire.

“We need a proper supermarket again to bring more people here and the county council’s rules on parking in the high street limit parking to half-an-hour, which only adds to the lack of people hanging around to shop.

“There is a 24-hour car park nearby but that’s always full. The other day I took just £5 in one day. The shop owners in the street need change.”

She has spoken to some of the neighbouring shop owners, who are also considering shutting up shop for the same reasons.

Her decision to close down BB Designs comes after the Hurstpierpoint High Street scheme was introduced by the council to attempt to increase business in the street.

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said: “Limited time parking is provided to help shop keepers by increasing the turnover of visits.

“During the development of the recent Hurstpierpoint High Street scheme there was a lot of consultation with the traders and residents to get the right balance.”

A Co-op spokeswoman said: “We’re committed to serving the people of Hurstpierpoint and would like to thank the community for their patience whilst our store is temporarily closed.

“Plans are underway to reopen and improve this store and we will be able to update locals on this in the very near future.”