A popular high street store has closed after 90 years of serving loyal customers. The hardware shops, which were located in Suffolk and Norfolk have sadly shut their doors permanently.

Coopers, which had a head office in Worlingham near Beccles, opened back in 1938. The company had stores in Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Harleston, Leiston and Framlingham. The company, which had been trading since 1938, announced the news on its website - where they also launched a closing down sale.

Staff at the hardware store chain expressed their disappointment following news of the closure.

Commercial director Stuart Ruskin said the firm, like many other shops, had struggled to attract customers through the doors because of "how the high street is today," reports BBC.

He said: "Bills were not getting paid, even online was struggling, so it is just not working anymore. We will sell what we can and then the doors will close and that will be the end - it'll be a very sad day because our workers are not just colleagues, they are our friends."

Rising bills and wages had also played a part in the decision to shut.

Shop manager Gary Revell, who is a former on-call firefighter, told BBC: "I am four and a half years off retirement, so it is difficult, and I have no idea what will happen to me.

"We are all devastated. It is a shame for the town and I am going to miss it - I have built up such a friendship with the customers, so it is heartbreaking."

The story is not an uncommon one, with more and more stores feeling the pressure due to rising costs.

Not only this, but many shops have seen changing patterns in shopping behaviour due to the popularity of online shopping.