A BUSINESS leader fears Marlow could lose its identity and has appealed to the town’s people to save independent retailers disappearing from the High Street.

Louise Browne, manager of gift shop Hutton’s, believes Marlow is in danger of becoming a clone of other shopping towns with big name national brands squeezing out smaller retailers.

She said: “The problem is we have lots of small individual businesses going and they are being replaced by the big names that can afford the rent. “All that you end up with is the same shops which look exactly the same. “People come to Marlow because it's different it's beautiful town with a park and river is nice place to shopping and see.

“We are trying to retain the individuality of the town.”

Hutton’s, a family business, have taken a temporary lease on the vacant space next door, left by toiletries and fragrance sellers Sensations, whose lease was recently terminated.

The building was originally one shop.

Mrs Browne said: “ With the help of the local people in town hopefully we can stay.

“We would like it to be permanent, we have got it until February so that gives us a month after Christmas to see if business drops off or whether it can sustain itself.

"It's terrible business if you're next to an empty shop. "If people come down the high street and see empty shops first then they go no further.”

Cafe Torrelli also closed in the High Street recently, while this week it was revealed that JAG communications in Market Place and Art Culture in West Street have also been forced to shut.

Jo Braybrooke from the chamber of trade said: "This is really good news that Hutton’s have moved in and it's one less shop empty.”

Martin Close, whose art gallery, Art Culture, is closing on Sunday agreed that the community’s custom is crucial for independent retailers to survive: “If you live in Marlow, support Marlow, there's a lot of people that don't and then they moan about Marlow changing.”

He said more trade would continue to suffer and more would disappear “unless something changes, unless people start spending money in Marlow in stop spending in places like Watford and Reading.”

Paul Deriaz planning, transport and development spokesman for the Marlow Chamber of Trade said: “I would hope that if the Marlow people actually shop locally and I think if all of us as a community pulled together I think we will do okay.”