A fashion store and six other shops will take the place of Chelmsford's family-run department store.

The deal to sell Bolingbroke and Wenley to a development company finally went through on Wednesday night.

Negotiations on the sale of the High Street store were completed at around 6.30pm and the store is expected to close on April 15.

Bosses are said to have been offered more than £12 million for the business, which is one of the oldest shops in the town.

Specialist property development company Chartwell Land, owned by retail giant Kingfisher, has bought the shop and renovations will soon be under way for seven new stores.

Peter Driver, publicity officer for Bolingbroke and Wenley, said: "Two large retail units are planned to front the High Street and New London Road as well as five smaller units which will just front New London Road.

"Hennes - a leading fashion retailers - has agreed terms on a 25,000 square foot store in the new development."

He added: "It will create new jobs but we are just waiting to see how many."

The company's staff of more than 200 will lose their jobs when the new developments begin.

Bolingbroke and Wenley's furniture store in Springfield has not been affected by the sale and is expected to continue trading.

A fashion store and six other shops will take the place of Chelmsford's family-run department store.

The deal to sell Bolingbroke and Wenley to a development company finally went through last night.

Negotiations on the sale of the High Street store were completed at around 6.30pm and the store is expected to close on April 15.

Bosses are said to have been offered more than £12 million for the business, which is one of the oldest shops in the town.

Specialist property development company Chartwell Land, owned by retail giant Kingfisher, has bought the shop and renovations will soon be under way for seven new stores.

Peter Driver, publicity officer for Bolingbroke and Wenley, said: "Two large retail units are planned to front the High Street and New London Road as well as five smaller units which will just front New London Road.

"Hennes - a leading fashion retailers - has agreed terms on a 25,000 square foot store in the new development."

He added: "It will create new jobs but we are just waiting to see how many."

The company's staff of more than 200 will lose their jobs when the new developments begin.

Bolingbroke and Wenley's furniture store in Springfield has not been affected by the sale and is expected to continue trading.

Sorrow among shoppers at news of the closure

Chelmsford has reached the end of an era with the closure of Bolingbroke and Wenley.

Reporter EMMA BARNETT captured the air of sadness among people on the High Street yesterday.

Diana Goater , of Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford, said: "It's sad because it's a lovely store and it's individual. How many family businesses in other towns are there?

"I heard John Lewis was going to buy it and that would have been the only saving grace. It's just going to be tatty and it will be like any other town. Bolingbroke and Wenley made it different."

June Grinstead , 47, of Arthur Court, Chelmsford, agreed: "I think it is a terrible shame because it's been here for a long time - it's part of the town's history.

"I've had two wedding dresses out of there, it's a first-class service in there. But it might just be that we've got to move on."

Richard James , 47, of Longacre, Chelmsford, said: "It is a shame. It is the only shop here that is not a multiple - you can go into a Debenhams anywhere.

"I shop there a lot - I have an account there - and I've never found a Bolingbroke and Wenley anywhere else. It will be a great shame."

Gillian White , 58, of Mountnessing Road, Billericay, agreed: "I'll be really sorry if they close down - there's not many individual shops and it would be a great loss.

"I shop there fairly frequently and it's one of the reasons why you come to Chelmsford. There are not many other shops of that size that are individual."

Only Stephen Fisk , 25, of Avon Road, Chelmsford, did not seem sad about the store's closure: "It won't bother me at all. I think there's enough shops about here really."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.