FAMILY butchers Cranstons is to close its Kendal store after it 'failed to reach expectations', reports Food Writer Gillian Cowburn

Citing a combination of factors for the Stramongate shop's demise and six redundancies, managing director Philip Cranston told the Gazette: "We have tried in Kendal and we have had a lot of good customers, loyal customers.

Unfortunately there just haven't been enough to guarantee the future of the business."

Cranstons, which was founded in 1914 and now employs 150 people, has grown to the extent that it boasts a purpose-built factory in Penrith which processes meat for a ready meal range, the hotel and catering trade, and six retail outlets in Penrith, Brampton, Dumfries, Hexham, Allendale and a flagship food hall in Carlisle.

They continue to prosper.

"We just didn't hit the right note in Kendal," commented Mr Cranston, who said the company had "invested heavily" in the Stramongate shop since it opened ten years ago.

"With hindsight we were in a secondary position but we have had that from day one and we have persevered."

However, Mr Cranston said he also believed Stramongate had "weakened".

" There used to be a good flow of people coming past from Provincial," he said.

The new traffic scheme had not been a factor in the decision to close but parking had been an issue, added Mr Cranston.

He said he believed that consumers had "lost the habit" of high street shopping.

One of Kendal's two surviving butchers, Martin Watson, of Watson & Woollard in Market Place, agreed.

He and Marsdens, around the corner in the New Shambles, are the only meat purveyors left in a town which once boasted nearly 30.

Mr Watson started as a 12-year-old delivery boy and, 29 years on, he co-owns the business with Lee Woollard.

" People aren't shopping in Kendal because of the traffic situation and because of the parking.

Supermarkets make it easy to shop there with free parking.

Kendal needs to be more shopper-friendly," suggested Mr Watson.

Ironically, butcher brothers Robert and Chris Marsden, opened a second shop in the New Shambles on the same day that Cranstons opened in Stramongate.

That business is thriving, although the Marsden brothers have since pulled out of Market Place.

"We are doing OK but Kendal is not the busy town it used to be.

The biggest single reason is the supermarkets.

That's not because they are cheaper, or what they sell is better.

You just have one trolley for everything."

Although it means less competition, Mr Marsden said it was still sad to see the departure of another high street butcher.

"There's not many of us left," he said.

Cranstons' Stramongate shop closes on September 28.

There is some consolation for regular customers - Kendal Foodhall, further up the road in Finkle Street, will sell a selection of Cranstons pies, sausages and bacon.