A SPECIALIST fashion shop in Bournemouth has closed its doors after 32 years due to competition from online businesses.

The owners of Uptown Girl at The Triangle said trade has been "slowly dying" in recent years.

The shop sold "exotic Indian attire" along with associated items including belly dancing outfits, jewellery, wigs, masks, throws and scarves.

Owners Raghbir and Tirlochan Lall also own the Thriller shop next door, specialising in Gothic clothing, which will remain open.

Mrs Lall told the Daily Echo: "We originally had a shop in The Avenue Shopping Centre and then moved to Commercial Road where we have been for 32 years.

"It is disappointing that the business has come to an end but we are not online and we have been really struggling."

She said stock from Uptown Girl is currently being sold at the Thriller shop and said regular customers can still order items via Thriller.

Mrs Lall added: "We had a great business in the 80s because the hippy and bohemian look was very popular and that is the sort of thing we stocked. Fringed skirts and cheesecloth were particularly popular.

"We have been hanging on at this end of town for a number of years. When C&A was open it was very busy up here and we hoped there would be another shop there.

"As soon as it opened as a call centre we knew we would struggle."

Uptown Girl is the latest in a series of shops to close across the area as the high street battles to compete with online shopping.

Recent casualties include the Steamer Trading cookware shop in Bournemouth town centre.