A well-used convenience store is set to close tomorrow, (Saturday, July 11) after a public meeting failed to prevent it from shutting.

The East of England Co-op in Oulton Road, Lowestoft is set to close at 5pm tomorrow after what the company described as a 'difficult decision'.

Roger Grosvenor, executive officer for retail at the East of England Co-op, said: 'Profitable trading at our Oulton Road store has been difficult for some time, despite the best efforts of colleagues at the store.

'Following careful consideration, we've made the difficult decision to close our store on Oulton Road.

'We are now considering a number of uses for the site and will share any developments as they arise.'

Shopper John Richardson, 66, of Fir Lane, who runs Richardson Printing on the South Lowestoft Industrial Estate, said: 'I am really disappointed. I have been shopping there for the last 25 years and it is a great shame that it is closing.

'A few weeks ago a notice was put up in the shop proposing the closure and inviting people to the meeting which was mainly attended by staff.

'As a customer I was there to support the staff, but when we got there a decision had virtually been made.

'There is nothing we could do as they said the store was losing money, but they wouldn't give me a figure as to how much.

'I got the impression that trade would have to pick up by 50 per cent to get into a profit-making situation, what with the big boys like Lidl, Aldi and Morrisons close by.

'The bosses did handle it very nicely and not in a ruthless manner - they genuinely felt for the staff.'

'The present ownership is the best it has ever been as the staff are really efficient. I see them as personal friends.

'It is a great shame as it is a place you want to go shopping in. It's a case that another one shuts, which is really sad.'

What are your thoughts on the store closing? Write, giving your full contact details, to: Journal Postbox, 147 London Road North, Lowestoft NR32 1NB or andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk