Final whistle for Walsall FC shop

Walsall Football Club's town centre shop is to close this month with bosses blaming the decision on a boom in internet sales, it was announced today.

The shop in the Victorian Arcade has traded for more than 15 years but will shut its doors on April 30 following the final home game of the season.

It is the latest town centre store to close including Topshop which revealed it was leaving its branch in Park Street earlier this year.

Around 80 shops and businesses are currently standing empty prompting Walsall Council to carry out a review to draw in retailers.

The Walsall FC shop moved to a different unit in the shopping centre off Bradford Street in 2004 following its launch in 1995.

Club officials say the decision to close is because of fans preferring to buy merchandise and tickets over the internet.

Relaunch

However, the Banks's Stadium Club Shop will remain open and the three town centre staff are due to be re-deployed in Bescot Crescent.

The club say it has updated its online ticketing website and is planning to relaunch the merchandise site ahead of the new league season.

But the move has been criticised by Saddlers supporters who use the shop and will now have to travel several miles to buy items instead.

Fan John Oaker, a retired former deputy headteacher at Alumwell Junior School, said: "It is the convenience of just dropping in here to get a ticket rather than having to go over to the stadium.

"You get people coming in here from all over Walsall and they will now have to make an extra journey. Wherever you look now there are shops to let."

A club statement said: "The shop, in Bradford Street arcade, will close on April 30. It has become apparent that more and more people are choosing the internet as their preferred method to shop."