A POPULAR store in a Teesdale market town is to close next month.

The Partners store, at Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, is to close as its owners have decided not take on another lease.

The store is run by family supermarket chain Ken Warne.

However, managing director Peter Warne and his brother, Kevin, have said they do not want to commit themselves to another 15-year lease.

Peter Warne said: "Reluctantly, my brother and I have decided not to commit to a longer term of lease when the current part of the lease expires in October.

"There is only Kevin and I to run the business now and an extension to the lease will take us past our retirement ages. It has been a difficult decision to make as we have been privileged to retail from such a beautiful and extremely busy market town.

"We are very grateful to our staff, who will all be offered positions at other branches.

"We are also very grateful to our landlords who have always been supportive during the term of the lease."

The store became known as the "Harrods of the North" and was a big tourist attraction for Teesdale after it opened in 1987, specialising in cordon bleu food and unusual items.

It was then owned by Rosemarie Gray, who ran a finishing school at Eggleston Hall, recently made famous in the reality TV show Ladette to Lady.

However, it changed hands and in 1997, a rescue package put together by former town mayor John Eglinton was unable to save it from closure.

The store remained shut for two years until it was reopened by Ken Warne.