POOLE traders say they fear for the future of the High Street as more shops close and plans emerge for yet another takeaway.

There are already 14 food and drink outlets on the stretch between North Street and Old Orchard, as well as 11 empty units and eight charity shops.

But despite an abundance of similar food shops nearby, including the recently closed Shake and Take milkshake and sandwich shop, a planning application has gone in to turn the former PamPurred Pets pet store into yet another café/takeaway.

It has been vacant for a year and, according to the planning agent, the owner feels he would have “more chance of letting the unit” as a food outlet.

Poole Old Town Conservation Group has registered strong objections because there are already “more than the High Street needs”.

Poole Town ward councillor Mark Howell also objected to “excessive numbers of cafes and takeaways,” while fellow ward councillor Carol Evans said it was “essential to the viability of this part of the High Street” that retail shops were preserved.

Linda Mundle of Reel Time arcade on the High Street said her part of the High Street was dying.

“Everything is concentrated on the Dolphin Centre and the Quay and we’re left to rot,” she added.

“I really can’t see it getting any better. I can just see more and more shops closing.

“We have no footfall down here – no customers – and it’s just getting worse and worse.”

Fay Barnes of Gemini in old Poole High Street is hemmed in by empty units on either side – and there are four empty around her on the short walk to the Quay.

“It’s a struggle,” she said. “The rates are so high – everything is so dear.”

Yesterday the British Retail Consortium revealed the latest grim retail sales figures – down 0.4 per cent compared with February last year. Only food and footwear stores bucked the decline.

Jeff Allen, chairman of Poole and District Chamber of Trade, who owns Poole Trophies, said: “My biggest concern is the loss of specialist traders.

“The small traders are disappearing.”