A WINCHESTER convenience store has closed after being in competition with a national supermarket for ten years.

Martin's in Stoney Lane shut for good on Friday November 1. The company has decided that it sees 'nothing else' for the store's future.

Manager Simon Lambell, who joined as a supervisor seven years ago, says there has been a "slow decline" in the business.

The 49-year-old added: "If you spend a tenner in Waitrose over the road, you get a free newspaper. Of course people are more likely to go to the place where you can buy everything you need at once.

"And for that reason, I think that's why the company have decided to call it a day. They told me they've decided that the store's future has nothing else."

Waitrose opened in Stoney Lane in October 2009 following a long planning battle with residents.

"Of course, it's not just Waitrose to blame," Simon continued. "There are other shops proving tough to beat around here, and peoples' reading habits have changed.

"I look through the obituaries in the Chronicle and recognise some of the names as my customers. That's always sad."

Simon will be moving into a new role at the Co-Operative just along the road.

He said: "For a lot of people, convenience stores are a key part of the community. It takes them back to how things used to be. They can have a chat and there's no rush.

"You're not being pushed onto a self-service machine like in a supermarket. It's the end of an era, and I'm going to miss it. But things move on."

It is unknown what will replace Martin's, but Simon "would not be surprised" if it was a take-away shop.