Men’s fashion chain Burton is to close its Oswestry store in the latest blow for the market town.

Staff at the Cross Street store have confirmed it will shut its doors on September 17.

But the shop’s parent company, Arcadia, has not yet revealed how many jobs will be lost.

The latest closure for the town comes after leisure specialist Salopian Sports shut its Oswestry branch this month after more than a decade in the town.

And the future of another of the town’s fashion shops, Ethel Austin, remains unknown. Although its stores in Shrewsbury and Wellington have closed, Oswes-try’s Ethel Austin is expected to stay open as Life and Style Retail.

But manager Lynn Hughes said there had been no new deliveries recently and staff who had left were not being replaced.

Today Martin Anderson, chairman of the town’s chamber of commerce, said the news of Burton’s closure was a blow to the town but pledged to work to bring new businesses into Oswestry.

He said it was very disappointing to hear of the plight of both Burton and Ethel Austin, whose future was still in doubt.

Pressure

Mr Anderson said he would work with the chamber to try and bring new businesses to the town.

He said: “This reflects the national economic picture and shows the pressure that the High Street is under.

“Locally, it’s very sad as jobs will be lost, there will be more empty shops and some people may choose to shop outside of Oswestry.

“The chamber will work in partnership with others to ensure that businesses in Oswestry continue to thrive and that new ones are encouraged to open.”

The chamber is already organising a raft of initiatives to encourage shoppers to visit the town, including Take to the Street.

Meanwhile, the town’s branch of women’s fashion chain Dorothy Perkins in Cross Street, also part of the Arcadia Group, is still trading but has closed its upstairs department in recent months.

“We are not allowed to make any comment. We have been told to say nothing,” a member of staff said today when asked about the branch’s future.

Two branches of Dorothy Perkins in Telford have closed recently.