A BRITISH Heart Foundation (BHF) shop in Andover town centre is closing later this year after serving the community for eleven years. 

The charity shop, which can currently be found in the High Street, will be closing its doors for good on Saturday, September 30.

Paul Pritchard, regional manager at the BHF, said: “After 11 years of business, our lease has come to an end, and sadly, the Andover BHF home store will close on the 30th of September.

“We would like to thank our wonderful staff, volunteers, customers, and donors for all their amazing support over the years. We would urge the local community to still keep us in mind if they are having a clearout in the coming weeks.

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"While our home store may be closing, you can still donate pre-loved books, music and clothing to our Andover shop. You can also use our free collection service to donate furniture and homeware. Customers can shop online with us at our BHF eBay store. Each item bought or donated goes towards helping us raise vital funds for lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases.”

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) councillor Iris Anderson has spoken out after hearing the news. 

She said: "This will be such a sad loss to our community with the state of the economy and people can't afford to buy new things if they're on a set income.

"Especially if they just got married and set up a home, even elderly people have difficulty trying to buy furniture with the cost of living crises as everything is going up."

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She said she is worried it will drive people out of Andover and into Salisbury where she believes the next closest BHF shop is located.

She continued: "Also the British Heart Foundation supports people that want to get back into work.

"Some people can't always take a job as they have different disabilities but they do give time to the British Heart Foundation shop which is another valuable asset to our community.

"I would really like the British Heart Foundation furniture shop to still carry on in Andover."