SUPERMARKETS and out-of-town retail parks are being blamed for the closure of one of Northallerton's oldest family businesses.

S & A Trueman has been a High Street name in the town for 42 years, with three generations of butchers trading under the family name.

Just this year, the shop sported talented pin-ups with twins Ben and Lee Jack posing in the altogether with little more than a turkey drumstick and a white trilby hat. They were the April stars of the Guild of Q Butchers millennium calendar.

But manager Mr Andrew Trueman, whose grandfather and father ran the shop before him, said the business had not been able to survive.

"We decided to close because of the way trading is going in general," he said. "Out of town trading is affecting the high streets, definitely. There are a lot of butchers closing down throughout the country."

The shop closed its doors for the final time last Saturday. "Convenience shopping is causing it along with Sunday openings and late nights," said Mr Trueman.

He has managed to secure another job within the trade while nine members of staff have also found employment elsewhere.

"I would just like to thank our customers for their loyalty and support over the years," he added.

Chairman of the town's chamber of trade, Mr Jim Turnbull, said traders were sad to see Trueman's close.

"They have been in Northallerton a long time and it is a long established family business which has unfortunately closed," he said.

The closure comes at a time when Hambleton District Council is still discussing the building of a new Safeway supermarket on Willowbeck Road, and a review on the future of retailing in the town is underway. Tesco is also currently doubling the size of its existing Northallerton store.

The retailing review could be looking at possible redevelopment of the cattle mart, which is next door to the Applegarth.

Mr Turnbull said: "Things unfortunately have to change. They can never stay the same and Northallerton is getting bigger all the time."

He added that the possibility of retail development on the cattlemart site would be better than an out of town location as it would keep people in the town rather than going to out of town retail parks.

Town mayor Coun Jack Dobson also expressed sadness of the loss of the firm.

"It is the small traders that actually draw people to the town from other areas. To see one of the longest established businesses in the town closing down because of out-of-town shopping makes it a sad day because that's what makes Northallerton unique."