A LONG-ESTABLISHED luxury goods store has taken the "difficult" decision to close over a weekend when a popular fair is in town next year.

Strickland and Holt, which has been in Yarm since 1854, was nearly empty of customers two weeks ago because the High Street was closed offon the Saturday to accommodate Yarm Fair.

Managing director Stephanie Richardson said the vast majority of people who did come through its doors were "cheeky youngsters intent on petty pilfering".

The fair has been taking place in the market town since at least the 17th Century, but it was the recent decision to close the High Street to traffic which has caused the store's problems.

Mrs Richardson said: "The decision to close the road has meant no one has been able to get to our car park to come into the store.

"Unfortunately, the only people who got in on the Saturday were cheeky youngsters intent on petty pilfering.

"A Saturday is usually our busiest day of the week, but during the fair we do not get many customers and we do feel that the best thing to do is close on that day. But it was a difficult decision.

"However, it really was not worthwhile opening up just for our staffto have to deal with cheeky young people who were coming in without the intention of buying anything."

Over the past decades, the annual event has changed from a traditional fair for the sale of cattle, poultry, cheeses and horse trading, to a funfair with a small element of horse trading in the town.

Mrs Richardson said: "The fair used to be a big event and really beneficial to traders, but that has all changed since the decision wasmade to close the High Street.

"I think it is time that traders received a little bit more help during the fair to keep their businesses open, otherwise more and more business people will become despondent with the situation.

"We do not want to seem killjoys and would like to find a new, traditional form for the fair which would be fun for all the families in Yarm and benefit businesses and residents alike."

Cleveland Police said that crime levels in Yarm during the fair were no different from previous years.