A SHOP owner in Tidworth is worried now that her post office has temporarily closed down due to coronavirus pandemic.

North Tidworth Post Office officially closed down today after people were seen coughing and spluttering inside the store.

Kirti Kataria, 44, from Pennings Road told the Advertiser: "We have closed today for the safety of ourselves and everyone else. People have been couging and sneezing in front of us, it's not safe.

"I put up a notice on Saturday that we would be closing.

"We might allow some customers in next week but right now we're closing.

"I don't know how we will survive with no transactions and being locked down."

Kirti is concerned about how she'll afford to pay her mortgage and bills.

"It's really hard for us now. We will lose customers and we cannot do much saving from earnings.

"We only get commission; we don't take fixed wages from the post office. If we don't do transactions, we don't get paid."

Kirti has predicted that the private business could lose up to £3,000 in the next few weeks.

She plans on maintaining online trade while her shop is closed.