WEYMOUTH’S high street has been dealt a major blow following the departure of two major stores.

Fashion retailer Topshop in St Mary Street is closing in August after more than 25 years of trading in the town.

The 10 staff face losing their jobs if they do not take up the offer of positions at other branches.

Other stores in the travel-to-work-area, which are not thought to be affected, include Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Yeovil and Salisbury.

A spokesman for Topshop refused to be drawn on the reasons for the store’s closure.

Topshop’s sister clothing company Evans closed the doors of its Weymouth branch in St Mary Street last weekend after 10 years of trading in the resort.

The further blow comes a week after it was disclosed that jobs would be going at the New Look headquarters in Weymouth.

Economic development spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council Ian Munro-Price was concerned to lose such a high-profile retailer.

He said: “I think it’s a shame when any retailer closes their business in the Weymouth and Portland area.

“When it’s a high-profile brand in many ways the loss is seen as more of a blow, because we want to attract more high-profile brands to give both visitors and residents a good choice. It’s a shame. They must have had economic reasons to do it.”

He added: “I feel for the people affected by the closure and I hope it won’t be too long before they find themselves back in full-time employment.

“The Topshop store is a prime retail position so I’m sure someone will snap it up quickly.”

President of Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce Andy Cooke said he felt confident that the Topshop store would not lie vacant for long.

He said: “Although it’s a personal tragedy when jobs are lost, from a retail point of view another store will take it over.”

Anna-Maria Geare, an executive member of the chamber of commerce, also shared concerns about losing the Topshop brand.

She said: “It’s always sad to have a reduction in the level of choice for shoppers; we can hope other retailers will step up to the mark and make sure they have a wide range of products to offer the people of Weymouth.

“It’s a shame to lose any retail outlet in the town, especially when it has been here for a number of years and provides for a good sector of the population.”

Shop to close on August 4

TOPSHOP will leave Weymouth on August 4.

This follows the closure of its sister clothing company Evans’ Weymouth branch on June 11.

The firms are part of the Arcadia Group, the UK’s largest privately-owned clothing retailer with over 2,500 outlets.

The retail giant’s portfolio includes Topshop and Topman, Evans, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Burton and Outfit.

A spokesman for Topshop said: “We can confirm that the Weymouth store will be closing on August 4, 2011.

“All jobs will be reallocated to the nearest branch of Topshop if the member of staff is happy to do so.”

The nearest branch of both Evans and Topshop will now be Bournemouth.

A spokesman for Burton and Dorothy Perkins said that all the Arcadia companies were run separately and just because Evans and Topshop had left Weymouth it would not necessarily mean that they would be leaving too.