TRADERS in Corsham are fearing for their future and say it is becoming a ‘ghost-town’ with high rates forcing businesses to close.

Yesterday, clothes shop Madison in the High Street closed its doors for the last time and cafe Cinnamon shut last month. A notice on the restaurant’s door reads: “The costs and VAT have made business financially unviable.”

In her four years of working at Smartbuyz Limited, shop assistant Stephanie Cleverly has seen 17 businesses come and go in the High Street, including The Toy Box at the Martingate Centre, which closed last year.

“Since Christmas it’s dipped really badly," she said. "We are struggling. On a Saturday afternoon the town is dead. I’ll get about three customers because there’s nobody - it’s awful.”

Mrs Cleverly blames the cost of parking and lack of a large supermarket is pushing shoppers to travel Chippenham and further afar instead. When NatWest closed seven months ago, she also noticed footfall dropped.

A former business owner of a shop in the town, who did not want to be named, believes there are more shop closures to come. She said: “It’s sad - I’ve heard rumours that they’re two other businesses that are potentially not renewing their leases.

“The rent is expensive and on top of your rent you’ve got your business rates, by the time you have paid that and your service charges, plus VAT you’ve got to make £40,000 before even thinking about paying yourself, and in a market town like this - it’s quite a lot of money to make.”

Manager Mark Westmacott of butchers Thomas of Corsham, is also displaying a sandwich board this week, which reads: “Butchers shop is NOT closing down” as rumours are circulating it is because the building is up for sale.

But he said: “We want to assure the people of Corsham that the butcher shop is not closing and it will remain the same.”

MP for the Chippenham constituency Michelle Donelan has pledged to help struggling high streets and wants to engage the community with a variety of schemes to regenerate them.

Corsham Town Council is also working with company NEW Masterplanning on ways to rejuvenate the High Street and help the independent businesses.

Mrs Cleverly added: “I’ve lived here for sixty years and years ago there would be crowds of people every day in the town – it’s very sad and we need support.”