A BELOVED high street shop is closing after 29 years of trading.

Wisebuy Variety Store in Halstead will be closing its doors for the final time on December 22.

Raymond Brown owned the shop when it first opened in 1989 before passing on management to his daughter, Louise Sutton and her husband, Sean Sutton.

He said: "I retired five years ago and my daughter and her husband took it over."

Since taking the shop over, Mr Brown has made the difficult decision to close for a number of reasons.

"The building is part of my pension fund and you can't spend bricks and mortar."

"My daughter's husband is not well now and wants to be released and my daughter can't run it on her own, so the time has come and it must close."

It is not yet clear the future of the shop after its close, Raymond said there is no-one to take on the business but there are a number of people interested in the building.

Mr Brown, 73, added: "We haven't found someone to take over the business, only the news rounds."

News Team based in Colchester have taken on Wisebuy's news rounds which they have had for the past 20 years and kept on the 26 employees.

Wisebuy Variety Store is currently a single storey building, and Raymond expects that whoever ends up taking on the property will develop the building and add a second storey of flats.

"There's a huge feeling for us in the town and people are very disappointed.

"We tried for two years to find someone to take over the business, but it's like today's government- sometimes you just have to go with no deal.

"I just want to say a huge huge thank you to the people of Halstead.

"We're leaving with mixed feelings but sometimes you can't just keep going."

Wisebuy Variety Store are currently offering a sale of up to 75 percent off all stock until they close.