Shops will go as out-of-town developers snap up premises

TWO thriving businesses in St Ives – including the town's only optician – are set to close after out-of-town property developers bought the building.

Fusion women's fashion on Fern Lea Terrace will shut at the end of September after the Bristol-based developers hiked the rent on the new lease by 50%.

Neighbouring optician Maxwell Short has also decided to cease trading after 19 years, with the loss of four part-time jobs, after negotiating an opt-out of his lease.

The 56-year old optician said he was sad to leave up to 2,000 elderly patients without locally-based treatment but regretted that dust, vibration and noise caused by building works would be too disruptive.

Mr Short said: "I feel very sad about the whole situation and worry that a lot of elderly people won't get their eyes tested because of the need to travel into Hayle or Penzance."

Developers Construction and Real Estate Properties Ltd, who also own the under-threat Norway Stores, plan to add five flats in the basement and first floor of the building.

Melanie Morgan Fisher, who has worked in Fusion for nine years, said her London-based owner could not afford the increase in rent to £12,000 per year.

"When the new owners took over we thought he would keep it as a shop, but he obviously wants us out," she said.

"A lot of disabled people get taxis to see the optician and they are going to be stuck now. It's very upsetting and if the whole of St Ives ends up like this it will be a ghost town.

County Councillor Andrew Mitchell said local government needed to stand up for communities.

"To possibly see the last shop in Down'long go and to now find out that other essential services are being threatened by the same people is a body blow.

"We have suffered the constant erosion of community shops for generations and might wake up in five years time to find there is nothing to help and support local people.

"Places need hearts in order to pump around the lifeblood of the community and if we have that taken away, you wake up and wonder where the town has gone.

"Through planning legislation we need to make sure that towns and villages are not open to fast buck markets for people to do what they want then leave."

"Maybe public ownership could be considered – it is the role of governments to step in where markets have failed, as they have here." David Smithies, managing director of Construction and Real Estate Properties Ltd, said negotiations had been amicable with no disagreements.

"Fusion were paying considerably less than the market rent; we offered them a new lease at the end of the season but they declined," he said.

"It's wrong to make developers the evil person - this is a major investment in the town with high quality accommodation in a building which is very run down."

Mr Smithies added that there was no intention at this stage to do away with the shops, saying he was keeping an open mind.

Penwith District Council planners said they would be likely to oppose proposals for any change to residential use.