A FAMILY business that has been in Monmouthshire for more than 80 years is to shut up shop this month.

Tim Washbourne, owner of Washbournes Home Hardware in Newport Road, Caldicot, said his store is no longer making money.

He said the number of people shopping in the town has declined “massively” over the last ten years.

The petrol filling station next to the site will continue to trade, but the hardware store will shut at the end of the month with a closing down sale currently under way.

There will be job losses, but it is not clear how many of the 13 people who work across the store and the station will go. The firm has been in the town for more than 80 years, Mr Washbourne said, citing the economic climate as one issue that has hit the store.

“The footfall in Caldicot has declined massively over the last ten years,” he said. “People’s shopping habits have completely changed. They don’t seem to be using towncentres like Caldicot as much anymore.”

He said he was very upset by the move, but added: “We have got to knowwhen to call it a day.”

He was sceptical whether the new Asda store would boost the town centre, and suspected people would “pull up, shop in Asda, go back in their car and go to another place”.

In May it was revealed that Asda was selected as the preferred bidder to build a supermarket on playing fields of Caldicot School.

Monmouthshire Council hopes the redevelopment will help regenerate the town centre.