SHOPPERS are being reassured that a fashion retailer will not disappear from Weymouth town centre - despite holding a 'closing down' sale.

Bonmarche on St Mary Street currently has 'Closing Down' signage in its windows. The national high street chain, which specialises in plus-sized womens' clothing, announced it had been placed into administration in autumn 2019 following a downturn in sales.

However administration firm FTP has offered reassurance that negotiations are currently underway for the business to be taken over by another high-street chain; Peacocks.

A spokesman for FTP said: "There are no plans to close the [Weymouth] store currently. As Bonmarche is in administration many sites across the country have had 'closing down sale' signs placed in store.

"It was announced on November 28 that Peacocks had been identified as a preferred bidder for Bonmarche. Negotiations are ongoing and the vast majority of open stores are expected to be part of a deal from the bidder."

The chain was founded in 1982 by Parkash Singh Chima - a Sikh businessman who moved to the UK from the Punjab region of India in the 1950s. He started off by selling clothing door-to-door and at markets.

Bonmarche was sold to a US investment group, Sun European Partners, in 2012.