A WELL-KNOWN High Wycombe toy shop is closing down next weekend because of rising rent fees and its secluded position in the town.

Child's toy shop in Desborough Road has been trading for 25 years, but due to the decline of shoppers in the area, owner Alan Hogston has made the decision not to renew the lease on the store.

He said: "When the lease comes to an end, the rent automatically goes up and we just don't get the number of people down Desborough Road to make it a viable shop anymore.

"Desborough doesn't get the people down there anymore, that's the problem.

"It has been on the decline for about three years."

Mr Hogston has run the Desborough shop and its sister store in Park Parade, Hazlemere, for three years, but knew in 2005 that he would have to shut it down.

He said: "I thought at the end of the lease the rent would go up to an extent that the shop couldn't make enough money to stay there.

"They the staff know about it, they're not happy about it, it's just a fact of life. I wish I hadn't got to do it, it's down to money in the end."

Several shopkeepers have blamed the Eden development for the decline of Desborough Road and believe roadworks and the lack of parking are turning customers away.

Mr Hogston agreed the new shopping centre may not help existing businesses, but did not blame it for closing his store and thinks Wycombe needed a centre like Eden.

But he thought people visiting Eden, which is due to open in 2008, would not necessarily encourage people to explore shops outside.

Mr Hogston added: "That's what I can see happening and that's why I can't see it improving Desborough. I hope it does, I hope I'm wrong."

But despite having to close one shop down, Mr Hogston remained positive and has plans to improve the Hazlemere store and said he would be on the lookout for new premises to replace the Desborough branch. He added: "You have got to stay positive, new beginnings - not end of an era."