One of the county's last independent booksellers says teenage wizard Harry Potter has ruined his business.

Phil Flowers is having to shut the Cliffe Bookshop in Lewes because he cannot afford to compete with the big chains which are offering JK Rowling's books at a huge discount by its publisher.

Mr Flowers, 52, said: "We wouldn't have sold the new Harry Potter even if we were staying open. We just cannot compete on price - it's not a fair playing field.

"The big chains get sold the books at something like 50 to 55 per cent off the recommended retail price but we get no more than 38 to 40 per cent."

Bloomsbury, the publisher of Harry Potter, said it expects to make a £20 million profit this year based on advanced orders of the latest instalment in the series.

With Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince due for release on July 16, the company anticipates another bumper year as pre-orders have "substantially exceeded" expectations.

The fifth instalment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, made publishing history in 2003 by selling five million copies within 24 hours.

Mr Flowers said: "Some of the chains sold the last Harry Potter at £9.99, which is cheaper than we could buy it from the publisher - it's almost an insult."

Mr Flowers has run his shop in Cliffe High Street with wife Bridget, 50, for 14 years.

Initially he made a profit but started to suffer after the Net Book Agreement (NBA) was withdrawn in 1995, clearing the way for publishers to offer discounts on mass-purchase orders.

Mr Flowers said: "Without the NBA, small firms haven't got a chance and it is going to get worse.

"We are the last independent bookshop in Lewes and there are only two left in the whole of Brighton.

"Consumers are going to lose out on choice."

Cliffe's Bookshop, which has been selling books in Lewes for 31 years, will close on Saturday, April 16.

Mr and Mrs Flowers will remain in the town, moving to a new house in the Neville area.

Katie Bond, publicity director at Bloomsbury, said: "We would love it if all shops sold Harry Potter at the recommended retail price because that is what we think it's worth but price-fixing is illegal and we cannot prevent stores from selling books more cheaply."