THE closure of a popular town centre clothes shop has been described as a "sinister" move by an online retailer.

Burton, in Station Road, Clacton, has endured a turbulent and uncertain 12-months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The clothing store's future was further plunged into doubt in December when its parent company, the Arcadia Group, entered administration.

Online fashion company Boohoo subsequently purchased the Burton brand, along with Dorothy Perkins and Wallis, as part of a £25.2million deal.

The agreement, however, did not include the acquisition of physical shops, so more than 2,400 employees, including those working in Clacton, lost their jobs.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Graham Webb, chairman of the Clacton Town Partnership, said the practice of online retailers buying high street shops did not sit right with him.

“This is more sinister than before because it is bad enough losing out to online competition, but now the online companies are buying retail shops just to close them down,” he said.

“They want the well-established names which have been built up in town centres over years and years, but they do not want to keep the actual shops open.

Read: 'Thanks for nothing Phillip Green' - Burton staff take parting swipe at tycoon

“The solution is very simply, they just need to slap an online tax on all online purchases and then that money could be used to help the high streets.

“It needs to be more of a level playing field and it is about time there was some Government intervention because there is a danger of our town centre becoming a ghetto.”

The town centre's latest closure comes after Marks and Spencer, Mothercare, Clintons, and Dorothy Perkins all also shut their doors for good.

Shoppers also fear the likes of Bonmarché, Peacocks, and Edinburgh Woollen Mill will not reopen after lockdown after sale posters appeared in the stores' windows last October.

Boohoo has been contacted for comment.