Littlewoods has announced it is closing its Oxford store after 40 years - giving staff and shoppers just four days' notice.

The 26 staff at the Clarendon Centre store were told yesterday morning, Tuesday, August 3, that the shop would shut on Saturday and that jobs would be lost.

Stock has been marked down in price and notices have been placed in the windows telling customers that the store will close.

Keith Slater, chairman of the Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said the demise of the store - which opened in Cornmarket Street in 1964 before moving to its present premises in 1983 - was a "wake-up call" to the city.

Shocked customers who arrived at the store yesterday discovered the restaurant had already closed.

Littlewoods said the business was not meeting its targets and that it had to make the decision to close at short notice to allow another unnamed company to lease the premises.

Mr Slater said: "I'm shocked that Littlewoods is closing in Oxford, but it reflects the fact that Oxford retailing has not been as good as it could have been over the last few years.

"It shows how important it is for the city and county to be considering the retail future of Oxford."

He added: "The city centre as a retail centre is very much in need of a revival.

"There's been a great deal of disruption and even though cleaning up the graffiti and chewing gum has improved it enormously in the last few months, it's still not exactly the nicest of places to go shopping in.

"It's another wake-up call to do something about Oxford city centre."

Paul Sargent, an Oxford city councillor, said: "I feel very badly for the staff. I'm disgusted that an organisation the size of Littlewoods would give their staff such short notice. Some of them have probably worked there for quite a long time. "But the future is bright for Oxford. That's the sort of retail space needed in Oxford and it will not be empty for long.

"We have been told there are 100 retailers looking for space in Oxford at the moment."

Nicola Wright, Littlewoods spokesman, said some of the 22 permanent and four temporary staff at the Oxford store may be relocated to other stores but redundancies would be made.

She said: "The store in Oxford has failed to achieve its targets and it is not financially viable for the company to continue trading from that particular store.

"All staff have been informed and they are in consultation with trade union representatives and we are trying to make every effort to re-employ individuals were practical.

"The reason we are closing so quickly is that we are a tenant leasing the property and a third party is interested in the premises which governed the date when we had to be out." Customers were shocked by news of the closure:

Beryl Califano, 63, of South Oxford, said: "I shall be very disappointed - it's one of my favourite stores. It has come as a shock. Normally you would expect some warning. I'm very sad for the staff. It's awful to be told at such short notice."

Bryan Wells, 67, of Farmoor, said: "The staff in the cafe told me they were given no notice. I didn't think they could do that but apparently they signed an agreement and they have no comeback.

"It's a good store. It's got nearly everything you want. I come here quite often and I'm very surprised it's closing down - it's been here for years."

Maureen Hinken, of Cowley, Oxford, said: "I usually come here and get some good buys so I'm disappointed. I never thought a big store like this would close down.

"I feel sorry for the staff. It's terrible that they haven't given them much time to get another job."

Joan and Robert Shewell, of Greater Leys, Oxford, said the loss of the store would mean even less choice for shoppers in the city centre.

Mr Shewell said: "I find there are not enough clothing stores for men in Oxford. It's all card shops, charity shops and children's stores and the choice for men is getting less and less."

Mrs Shewell added: "It's a shame because a lot of people shop here and it has a good range for more mature people. They should have given the staff at least a month's notice."