A TOWN centre jewellery shop has closed after the owners decided not to renew its lease.

The Goldsmiths shop, which was in the Crompton Place shopping centre, was shut earlier this week.

The chain has other North West shops including at the Trafford Centre, Manchester city centre, Wigan, Blackpool, Stockport, Warrington and Liverpool. Centre manager Malcolm Angus said: “Goldsmiths has decided not to renew its lease at Crompton Place.

“However, we are in negotiations with other well-known retailers who wish to open at Crompton Place and we are working very hard behind the scenes to ensure we continue to attract new businesses to the shopping centre for the benefit of our loyal customers.” A Goldsmiths spokesman said the firm did not want to comment, and would not say how many staff were affected or if it had plans to open elsewhere in Bolton.

He said: “We have logged your enquiry with head office but Goldsmiths is unable to offer further comment.”

The news follows the closures of other wellknown shops such as Jessops and Comet, which employed 60 people at its Trinity Retail Park site in Bolton and at Middlebrook.

However, McDonald’s is recruiting between 40 and 60 new staff at its four Bolton restaurants while electrical firm Horwichbased DRL is taking on 200 new workers at its Appliances Online website operation and warehouse