A JEWELLERY and gift store in Basildon town centre is set to shut its doors for good, after launching a “closing down” sale less than a year after opening. 

HBM Jewellery, in the Eastgate Shopping Centre, has been pictured this week with a sign on its window announcing a closing down sale and saying “All stock must go”. 

It is the latest blow for the town’s shopping centre which has been hit by a number of high-profile shop closures in recent years. 

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The store, which opened early last year, sells different types jewellery items including the option for personalisation.

It comes just weeks after Fit To Fly PCR and Antigen Tests, also in the Eastgate Shopping Centre, closed its doors.

Basildon resident Roy Davis, who took the image of the closing down sign, added: “It is sadly a sign of the times, so much is depending on the cinema opening for a lot of retailers, especially catering outlets.

“It is a shame what is happened to the town though. I came here in 1963, and the town was developing rapidly - now it is in decline, like lots of towns.

“People do need to shop local. Shopping online is not for everyone, and if it is wrong you have to return it.

“You can’t beat buying face-to-face.”

Currently, the Basildon town centre is undergoing a development which will see the arrival of a new multi-screen cinema, and six new restaurants.

Basildon Council leader Andrew Baggott said: “It is always sad for any business to be closing and we are sad as that does have an impact on the town centre.

“We have to acknowledge that some businesses are still finding it hard, post-Covid, with all the new challenges that have been thrown at us since Covid too.

“But we wish the company well and thank them for their service in Basildon.

“The problem is it is easy to shop online, but people forget the impact that has to local shops and business.

“While you don’t want to say to people you can’t shop online, just be aware that you do have people on your corner.

“And this is what I have been saying about the town centre, the way retail has changed there needs to be something else that makes people want to go out.

“We need to transform shopping into an experience.”

HBM Jewellery was contacted for comment but failed to respond.