A CARD shop in Worcester city centre has closed down after the national chain of stores collapsed.

A Write Card, in Broad Street, closed its doors for good yesterday. People were seen emptying the store yesterday morning.

The move comes after A Write Card closed down branches in Derby, Tamworth and across the country.

When the Worcester News contacted A Write Card’s head office for a comment on its Broad Street shop, nobody was available.

Amo Sohal, who owns Kitsons Pharmacy, opposite A Write Card, said: “It is just after Christmas and they have all lost their jobs.”

“It’s sad really. I don’t think there was any notice.”

“We really feel sorry for the people who have lost their jobs. Just after Christmas, the timing is absolutely terrible.”

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Mr Sohal said staff had told him the chain of card shops has collapsed.

The closure comes after Knowles Sports on the same street announced plans to shut down back in November. The store does not have a closing down date but staff say it will be around the end of January or the beginning of February.

Rick Knowles, who runs the shop, said the business was “a victim of the High Street.”

Mr Knowles said: “Due to lack of footfall we have been finding that the last two or three years have been very difficult and so we had to make this difficult decision.”

Patisserie Valerie also closed in Broad Street in July last year, as the national chain shut down 14 of its bakeries.

Mr Sohal said: “There are so many closures at the moment. Personally I think they should be regenerating this part of town as well. All the money seems to be spent around the Cathedral area. If you go down to the bottom of Broad Street it is really quite depressing now.”

“I’m am thinking of speaking to some other retailers to see if we can put pressure on to get some regenerating done.”