ANOTHER high street store has closed its doors in a blow for the Barrow high street.

Today the British Heart Foundation becomes the latest store to shut.

A post on social media said: "It’s with great sadness we have to post this.

"The store is closing its doors on May 14 for good.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for supporting us over the past 10 years."

The announcement came after the discount clothing store Steals announced they were closing just three months after opening. 

READ MORE: Town centre store due to close

Mayor of Barrow Councillor Helen Wall said: "It is a shame but it is what's happening to high streets and it will get worse if people have no money to spend."

Cllr Helen Wall said the council is investing in improving the high street for residents and visitors.

Barrow Business Improvement District manager Colin Garnett said it was 'disappointing' and 'frustrating' to lose so many national retailers from the town centre and the focus needs to be 'building a brighter Barrow'. 

"It's important to have a town centre that is vibrant and a place that they can use not just as a retail location but as a community hub," he said.

"Local people really need to think about what they want and what they want for their friends and family. It is down to us as Barrovians to show businesses that we want to keep a town centre."

READ MORE: Government confirms £25m Town Deal funding for ambitious programme

He said he believed the pandemic had 'accelerated' the process of shops closing as people changed their shopping habits and shopped more online. 

He said: "We already had young people shopping online. What covid has done is it has forced vulnerable groups who used to shop in a traditional manner to learn how to shop online."

In February, it was announced that Barrow is set to receive £25 million in Town Deal regeneration funding, which has been described as 'a great opportunity to get people into the town'.