A NATIONAL retailer is set to close another branch in an Oxfordshire town next month leaving another high street store empty.

Dorothy Perkins on Sheep Street, Bicester is closing after its parent company, Arcadia Group, announced it is trying to focus more on its bigger stores and its digital presence.

The high street brand’s last day of trade in Bicester is September 14, before the branch in Witney shopping centre which is also set to close on September 21.

Despite speculation from residents that its closure is due to the high cost of rent in Sheep Street, Arcadia Group said the closure is part of a review across the Group.

ALSO READ: Dorothy Perkins in Marriotts Walk, Witney, shuts on September 21

A spokesman from Arcadia Group said: “We are constantly reviewing our store portfolio across the Group, investing in flagship stores, and increasing our Brands’ digital presence.

Our click and collect service across the Brands is also proving a successful way of helping our customers collect their purchases at a location most convenient to them.

We endeavour to offer current staff other employment options within the Arcadia Group.”

Residents in Bicester took to Facebook saying they are tired of the lack of clothes shops in the town centre and feel for the staff who will be losing their jobs.

Abbie Ford said: “Dorothy Perkins is one of the last decent shops in Bicester, I shouldn’t have to, and won’t be, traipsing all the way to Banbury and Oxford when their selection was inferior to Bicester. To say that I am narked about this is putting it mildly.”

Amy commented: “It’s awful that yet another store is closing, but even worse for the staff involved. Unfortunately retail really is a “use us, or lose us” game.”

ALSO READ: Witney to Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Evans closures

Victoria Smith, who works at the store, said: “The sad thing is that we have a lot of lovely regular customers that make the day that little bit happier and sillier. We have such a fantastic team and I know that we are all absolutely gutted.”

Duncan Sharp said people need to understand that the way we shop has an impact on the high street and that another closure should not be a shock.

He commented: “The fact is we go to supermarkets, we shop on Amazon etc, the world is changing the High street will change it will die. Get used to it, the worlds changing because we are all too busy and all too lazy.”

Arcadia staved off collapse in June with a rescue plan involving 1,000 job losses and shutting 50 stores.

It is not known whether other Arcadia brands which include, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Wallis, Burton, Topshop and Topman will close in Oxfordshire. However, nearby, Swindon has lost five stores and in Reading, Dorothy Perkins and Burton has closed.