A POPULAR discount store in Highcliffe has announced the date of its closure as the manager calls time after more than thirty years.

G&T's original warehouse on Lymington Road in Highcliffe will shut up shop on Sunday, January 28.

A clearance sale is currently taking place at the shop and has reportedly been very busy with customers making the most of the deals on offer.

Store manager and director Dave Unwin said it was sad to have to close the shop, but admitted the time was right.

"I'm 70 now and have decided to take my retirement," he said.

"The store has been part of my life for so long and I haven't had much time off along the way - now is the time to go.

"It has been a wonderful experience more than 30 years. I'm sorry to be going but the body won't take it anymore."

"We have had so many customers coming in saying they can't believe we're going and we're all just as disappointed as them to close the place.

"There have been staff with us for 25 years and it's like a big happy family.

"I have always tried to tell my staff no one enjoys work so lets make it as happy as possible."

A planning scheme has been submitted to demolish the premises and replace it with a new retail unit and flats, however a large number of residents have voiced objects to the scheme.

The outline application for the site by Bournemouth-based company Stonehaven Land Developments seeks to build a four storey building, including nine apartments.

A planning, design and access statement says the proposed scheme would "make efficient use of an underutilised brownfield site; retaining an active ground floor frontage to the benefit of the Highcliffe shopping centre” and would “deliver nine much-needed new apartments in a highly-accessible location”.

The deadline for comments on the application closed in November and the scheme is likely to go before Christchurch Borough Council's planning committee due to the number of responses.