ONE of the best-known shops in Severnside will close its doors for the last time at the end of the month.

Washbourne's has been a household name in Caldicot for more than 80 years.

But a marked decline in trade in the centre of Caldicot has led owner Tim Washbourne to take the decision to close the shop, Washbourne's Home Hardware.

The two garages run by the Washborne family, one next door to the shop and the other in Rogiet, are not affected by the closure of the shop and will remain open for business as normal.

Mr Washbourne said: "It's down to the lack of footfall in Caldicot. Whether that's because of the recession I don't know.

"We've been able to track it for the last 10 or 12 years. It's been falling for that time."

A closing down sale has started and business was brisk over the weekend with bargain hunters out in force as prices were slashed by as much as 30 per cent.

Mr Washbourne is the third generation of the family to run the business which was set up as a cycle shop by Mr Cyril Washbourne around 1930.

The site of the current business was previously a car showroom run by the Washbournes and it is now a hardware, garden and general store.

A total of 13 people are employed on the site between the shop and the garage and the jobs of the staff at the garage are not threatened.

Mr Washbourne said: "It is sad for everyone concerned."