THE Countrywide Farmers Stores in Ledbury and Bromyard will cease trading with a sale on Sunday, and staff in both stores will be made officially redundant next Tuesday.

The Reporter understands there will be 15 full-time job losses at the Ledbury store and seven part-time job losses; and there will be seven job losses at Bromyard.

News of the closures have been met with dismay by local people, although Countrywide Farmers plc has been in administration since March.

Now all hopes the stores might be saved have gone.

A statement from Countrywide Farmers says: "Countrywide Farmers plc is in administration and a focus of the administrators has been to look for buyers for the 48 stores on a going-concern basis.

"We sadly have to announce the stores below will cease trading Sunday, May 20: Bridgend, Bromyard, Chipping Norton, Gloucester, Kingsbridge, Launceston, Ledbury, Ludlow, Melksham and Whitchurch."

For staff, the closures have not come as a surprise.

Posting on the Voice of Ledbury Facebook site, Lisa Southern said: "As a member of staff who works at Ledbury it’s been a very sad adventure for the last two years."

There has been considerable local sympathy, expressed on social media, concerning the local job losses and the fact the stores are closing.

Jess Staines said: "I really feel for the staff and the impact it will have on them."

And Emily Fleetwood said: "I personally believe that the local, rural community will be very saddened by loss of this wonderful store. For at least the last five years, Countrywide has been my absolute go-to place for equipment and supplies for my horses, dogs, cats, and for many local sheep/cattle/pig farmers as this was their main supplier.

"The lovely staff there are also highly knowledgeable, with their equine, pet and agricultural specialists on hand whenever you need them. That’s not something you can get when ordering supplies off the internet. I will be very sad to see it go."

Countrywide has long had close links with the local community.

Last year, the Ledbury store tidied up the Ross Road roundabout, to assist with the successful Ledbury in Bloom campaign, and the store has also provided several town centre Christmas trees, for the annual Christmas Lights event.

For many people, the closure of the Ledbury store is a blow to the local community.

Local man Michael Hall said: "Having worked for Countrywide for 10 years I am personally deeply saddened by the news, although I am now in a new job I feel for everybody losing their jobs and the staff of countrywide are the most professional, knowledgeable and friendliest people you will ever meet."

And Ann Beard said: "It is very sad and feel for the staff; I'm going to miss the coffee shop, good quality food at reasonable prices, and the fantastic staff."

But local people are wondering if Countrywide might have priced itself out of the market.

Rosalie Daubney said: "I’m sorry for the staff in all these cases. Perhaps if Countrywide had stayed what they where supposed to be, and not gone into selling expensive clothing and so on, they might have survived?"

And Robert Greening said: "I've only set foot in the place about three times; the prices scared me to death."

Other local residents are wondering if the site, on Hazle Park, Dymock Road, might be a good location for another Ledbury supermarket, given new estates are being built nearby, off Leadon Way.

Judy Grinnell said: "It's a good site for a Sainsbury's store, especially for the new developments that are going on that side of town."

But other residents believe the site vacated by Countrywide in Ledbury could be used for leisure facilities.

Vanessa Roxburgh said: "What about a play centre for children, with soft play and a cafe in the shop area and a Laser Quest and trampoline centre in the warehouse? There could be go karting and crazy golf outside in the lower car park, offering more things to do to attract people to Ledbury."