COULSDON'S only butcher appears to have closed for good.
A notice on the door of award-winning Martyn James, in Brighton Road, on Saturday said simply the butcher had "ceased trading" in Coulsdon.
The Advertiser was not able to reach the owners for comment or explanation as we went to press.
The closure would mark a further blow to the town's mix of independent shops and fresh goods, after the last remaining greengrocer closed in 2010.
Charles King, chairman of the East Coulsdon Residents' Association, said footfall in the town would need to increase if shops were to thrive.
He added that the council needed to invest in more parking and the forthcoming Aldi development should provide a welcome boost.
Mr King said: "I think [the poor footfall] is a combination of changing shopping habits and also home deliveries.
"If you want a town centre that is attractive in the 21st century it has got to be more attractive to people, and you need more people about, which is why the [forthcoming] Cane Hill development is important."
