ONE of Marlow's longest established and best known businesses has put up its premises up for sale at £1.5million.

Clothing hire retailer Jolliffe's, which has been at its Chapel Street base for 45 years, has gone on the market.

But its owner has stressed it will definitely not be closing.

Geoff Jolliffe, 69, one of Marlow's best known figures, said even if the shop is sold the firm will remain in the town at another premise.

He explained he was considering taking a fresh look at how the business is set up, as trading conditions continue to be hard. He cited bank lending as a problem and said successive Governments had not offered enough support to small businesses.

"It's been a tough four years with the recession and you begin to think perhaps if you sell the property and move into somewhere, rent it and then put the money to one aside, but it's early days," he said.

He assured Marlovians it will not be shutting.

He said: "We're not going to close up. It's too big a business to do that, to just walk away from it.

"We've put the property on the market but it's only to see if it goes or it doesn't go. But if it does go we will move to new premises, though nothing's been arranged yet."

Another town centre business, Uppercuts, the barbers, which has also been in Marlow for 45 years is set to close in June and neighbouring shop Woodstock will shut before the end of this month.

Mr Jolliffe, whose son Ben is the drummer in the band Young Guns, who are currently topping the American charts, said: "We can use the capital from the property to reset the business up with some different ideas.

"Nothing is going to be rushed at though, we're just going to see what the market is like and what happens.

"We've got a fair bit of time, it will probably take a year, depending on how the market is. We're not going to push it.

"Things are starting to pick up a bit more again but you don't know it can drop again, it's a very delicate time at the moment.

"I think there's not a lot of support from the banks, the government keep saying they're going to help but it's a difficult time."