One of the longest-running businesses in Newtown’s Bear Lanes Shopping Centre is closing its doors for good today (Friday, March 31) after being hit hard by the rising costs of energy.

Dry cleaning service Premier Cleaners is the latest business in the town centre to announce its closure.

Speaking on the shop’s final day, Joyce Jones thanked her customers for supporting the business over the past 23 years.

She said the rise in energy costs had been a main factor in the decision to close.

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Joyce added that it had been a “tough few years" and was looking forward to a break.

Customers have been asked to collect their belongings before the shop closes.

Premier Cleaners joins footwear shop Shoes for the Soul as the latest Bear Lanes Shopping Centre business to announce this month that it would be closing.

Other businesses that have also left the shopping centre since the Covid pandemic in early 2020 include TUI Holiday Store and Polka Dot Travel but shoppers still have a variety of stores to visit and spend with big High Street names such as New Look, Superdrug, WH Smith, Peacocks and The Works and independent businesses The Cave toy shop and Express Cafe still remaining.

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Bear Lanes Shopping Centre replaced the long-standing Bear Hotel in the centre of town in 1989.

Last year, the shopping centre, which has 20 units, was sold for more than £1.3 million at an auction in London, which was £305,000 more than the asking price.