Witney defiant despite Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Evans closures

The Dorothy Perkins and Wallis and Evans stores are set to shut in Marriotts Walk 'in the coming months', while Debenhams is already set to leave the town in 2020.

All three brands are part of Arcadia Group, which staved off collapse in June with a rescue plan involving 1,000 job losses and shutting 50 stores.

The company did not respond when asked when and why the stores were closing, but Marriotts Walk manager, Simon Jones, remains optimistic about the centre.

He said: "We are confident about the future of Marriotts Walk, which is Witney’s premier shopping destination and home to many successful businesses.

"There are ongoing discussions with several high street brands who are interested in locating in Marriotts Walk."

Dorothy Perkins is housed in one unit at the shopping centre, while Wallis and Evans share a space.

The Witney stores were not part of Arcadia's original list of closures, which also includes brands such as Topshop and Miss Selfridge.

Eleanor Martin, chair of Witney Chamber of Commerce, said the closures 'may not relate' to the performance of the high street.

She added: "Perhaps the fact that Marriotts will be celebrating its 10th anniversary means that some original tenancies are coming to an end, and shops are considering their options.

"We've recently seen the opening of ‘The Shop’ in Marriotts Walk, which offers a new idea and one we look forward to watching grow.

"Perhaps the high street can learn something from the dynamic of the internet, where continuous change and impermanence is seen as a virtue."

Toby Morris, West Oxfordshire District Council’s cabinet member for resources, added: "It's outside Witney's control and isn't to do with the town as a destination."

The councillor, a chartered management accountant who works with several businesses in Oxfordshire, added: "I know people talk about business rates, but we've got rates relief programmes in place which have helped hundreds of businesses.

"The government need to start looking to rebalance business rates on the high street versus the rates of online retailers."

Since April 1, more than 350 West Oxfordshire firms have received the new Retail Rate Discount, which cuts retailers’ rates by a third if they have a rateable value of £51,000 or less.

But several owners of independent businesses in Witney blamed high business rates after they were forced to shut their doors earlier this year.

West Oxfordshire district councillor for Witney Central, Andrew Coles, whose ward includes Marriotts Walk, admitted he feared more closures.

He said: "Although Witney is a resilient community, I do worry about the impact on our local economy.

"Businesses, especially our independents, are telling me just how tough times are at the moment."