A TOWN centre florist shop is on the brink of closure after 82 years of trading.

Stringfellow's, in Market Street, is set to close its doors after a long-running dispute with Chorley Borough Council over rental costs on the premises.

Proprietor Ted Stringfellow says he cannot see the business surviving beyond the end of the month after council officials increased rent on the premises by more than 400 per cent when its 21 year lease ran out in November last year.

Devastated Mr Stringfellow, 70, is distraught that the shop he has spent his life working in is coming to such a sad end.

He said: "The terms of the new lease mean we must pay £22,000 per year, up from £5,000 previously. The business is just not viable with those costs.

"I have offered to sit down with the council officers and negotiate, but they will not agree to meet me and will only communicate through solicitors.

"The business has been everything to me and I feel I'm being driven from my livelihood. This is placing a huge strain on me personally and there is no way I can look forward to retirement as I rely on the shop for my income."

Stringfellow's was established by Ted's father Peter in 1923, at 23 Market Place and the business has been at its current location, on the corner of Chapel Street, since 1941.

Chrissie Stringfellow, 60, who runs the shop with her husband, said: "I believe the business is unique in the town centre and I'm devastated that the actions of the council have left us in this situation.

"Because of the uncertainty Mother's Day was a non-event for us and we have had no option but to turn away inquiries for 30 weddings as we are not sure how long we will be trading.

"I love meeting the customers in the shop and to close will be unbearable for us."

Roger Handscombe, head of property services for Chorley Borough Council, said: "I cannot comment about the specifics of this case for legal reason other than to say Mr Stringfellow has turned down all offers made to him by the council."