A CHARITY is set to close its town centre shop after suffering a drop in passing trade since Colchester’s bus station moved.

Cancer Research UK will close its Priory Walk shop, which has been open for 20 years, in June.

A spokesman for the charity said it was determined not to leave Colchester for long, and it hoped to open another shop in the near future.

Area manager Yolande Leake said: “Sadly, with the bus station moving we’ve seen fewer people passing our door and so we’ve decided to look for new premises that will put us at the heart of the community, but we need to make sure the premises we find will be good value for money.

“We are very sad to close the Cancer Research UK shop in Priory Walk but we’re looking forward to finding a new home in Colchester.”

The store is the only Cancer Research shop in Colchester. The nearest are in Clacton, Maldon, Braintree and Sudbury, Suffolk.

Ms Leake added: “I would like to say a huge thank you to the community for the amazing support we’ve had so far.

“I’m also so grateful to our volunteers who have given up their time over the years and have done such a fantastic job.”

The town’s bus station was moved from Queen Street to Osborne Street in 2012.

Since then, many businesses have claimed they have suffered from a fall in passing trade.

In January, Donna Savill was forced to close her store, Roo’s Baby Shop, in Short Wyre Street.

Specialist clothing shop the Era Store has also closed its doors.

Cancer Research UK will finish trading from its Priory Walk shop on June 23.

The former bus station and depot, which is now owned by Colchester Council, will be the subject of large-scale development in the coming years.

Already plans have been unveiled to turn the depot into the Wonderhouse, which will exhibit hitherto unseen articles stored in the town’s archive.

Curzon Cinema is also close to securing a long-termdeal with the council to open a cinema, along with restaurants and cafes, in the former Keddies building.