A SHOP has caused a neighbour to move out of the town - by closing a set of doors.

Since Woolworths in Gravesend High Street stopped customers using the back entrance into Brewhouse Yard more than a year ago, shops along the road have seen a drop in business.

Recruitment firm Everest Workforce moved to Plumstead in London two weeks ago after seeing half the amount of people using their service.

Accountant for the agency, Paul Sangster said: "There has been a 50 per cent drop in business since Woolworths shut their doors, and it has triggered our move to Plumstead.”

A Woolworths spokesman said: "The doors were closed for safety reasons. The area was quite steep and we wanted to make the shop safer for customers.

"They are due to stay closed - it has had no effect on the amount of customers coming into the shop."

Manager of La Belle Cuisine in Brewhouse Yard, Paul Wells, claims the whole road has suffered. He said: "It has hit us and the area hard - we have been looking to relocate. "On Saturdays we used to be very busy with people coming in after cutting through Woolworths, and it would be difficult to get a space in the car park. Fortunately most of our business comes from recommendation, the walk-in customers accounted for about 20 per cent."