One of the county's biggest shopping centres is set to suffer further blows after two retailers announced their departures.

Shoppers at Westwood Cross in Broadstairs are set to lose footwear store Clarks and Iconic Jewellery, a Kent-based luxury jewellery brand.

The two stores have advertised the news with posters on the windows, with both offering discounts ahead of their planned closures.

It is believed both businesses will close their doors for good in mid-November – just before the Christmas rush.

Following its last day, the nearest Clarks stores will be in Deal High Street or Whitefriars in Canterbury.

For Iconic Jewellery lovers, the only physical store it will have left in the county is in County Square, Ashford, after its Canterbury site closed less than a month ago.

Visitors took to social media to air their views with one disappointed customer saying: “That’s absolutely shocking news. Especially about Clarks. How very sad. I do hope they are soon taken up by new businesses.”

“Rents too high, rates too high, cost-of-living crisis, only going to see more - really sad news,” commented another.

Other onlookers noted the changing trends in shopping habits, with one remarking: “Before WWX the high streets were booming. The creation of WWX killed off a lot of local businesses. Now the reverse seems to be happening.”

The news comes in the same month the shopping centre lost Wilko after the chain entered administration.

Opening in summer 2005, Westwood Cross was a £100 million project to reinvigorate the area which had been left to rack and ruin after the hospital which it once housed closed in 1986.

Both Clarks and Iconic Jewellery have been contacted for comment.