Town centre bar closes

Kidderminster town centre has suffered another blow with the closure of the town's first smoothie bar after less than a year in business.

Fruity Smoothies Juice Bar opened its doors in May last year.

But owners, Heather Manser and Katrina Lewis have been forced to shut the doors for good because of "personal problems".

The business partners planned to cash in on current health trends by offering a range of fresh fruit drinks in the Rowland Hill Shopping Centre.

But a sign on the door today told shoppers the smoothie bar had closed and read: "Heather and Katrina would like to thank all of their customers for their custom."

Phil Dunn, manager for the Rowland Hill Shopping Centre, said: "It is a shame. They kept it going as long as they could. We hope to get somebody else in there as soon as possible."

Peter Picken, chairman of Kidderminster's town centre partnership, said: "I imagine there was too much competition. There are only so many people wanting food."

The owners of the smoothie bar could not be contacted today.

Things had been looking up for the shopping centre with the arrival of the Impulse music shop in the premises left vacant by the former Fopp record store.