Only a week ahead of the unveiling of the Andover Masterplan, The Body Shop has confirmed it will close its store in the town.

The store, located in the Chantry Centre, is set to close on October 22 after a review by the cosmetics company.

In a statement to the Advertiser, a spokesperson for The Body Shop said: “We regularly review our store portfolio performance and have taken the decision not to renew the lease of The Body Shop in Andover and close this store.

“We will cease trading and have been in consultation over the last few weeks with the members of the store team to discuss job opportunities elsewhere within the business.”

Before the pandemic, The Body Shop reported growth of its revenue by 6.7 percent, while UK sales were up 5.4 percent. However, like many other retailers across the UK, its stores were all forced to close due to lockdown restrictions in March.

It’s another blow to Andover’s High Street, coming shortly after Sainsbury’s announced it would close its Bridge Street supermarket. It follows announcements in January that fashion retailers Topshop and Dorothy Perkins were to close, as well as the closure of the Boots pharmacy on the High Street.

The nearest stores for local residents can now be found on Winchester High Street, the Old George Mall in Salisbury, or in Festival Place in Basingstoke; all of which are at least a 30 minute drive away. Products can also be bought online.