THE team given the task of developing Westbury town centre say they are determined to press on with the project despite recent setbacks.

The proposals, detailed in a document called A Town Centre Development Plan for Westbury, include changing traffic flow through the town.

In this area the plan's author, Anna Crosbie, suggested restoring two-way traffic, pedestrianising the High Street, or reversing the current one-way system.

The plan also seeks to halt the demise in town centre shops after revealing numbers had slumped from 84 in 1975 to 48 in 2002.

But delays in an announcement on whether the Government will fund the proposed Westbury bypass routes have left the traffic proposals stuck on the drawing board. Coupled with this two of Westbury's best-known shops, Swags and Tails and Ancient and Modern, have announced they are closing.

Ms Crosbie, who is acting on behalf of Westbury Town Council and West Wiltshire District Council, said: "It is highly frustrating. Because of the Westbury bypass decision being delayed, the town centre plans are still in limbo at the moment."

Despite the setbacks, plans are under way to stage a strategic visioning day in mid March. The event will see groups such as business and property owners and council officers discussing what has been drawn up in the blueprint.

Ms Crosbie said: "We are aware that the shops are closing, but we are holding fire on that at the moment. We are quite keen to get something in that space which will offer people as much as possible."

Angela Butland has been running the Swags and Tails soft furnishing shop in the High Street since 1995. After closing the store next month she is moving to Cornwall where she and her husband will run a caf. Anne Curtis, owner of Ancient and Modern in Maristow Street, is closing after 25 years in the town to focus on running The Railway pub in Radstock.

She said: "I am sad to be closing, but it's the right time to go, people have been very loyal over the years. Hopefully someone will take it on and keep it going as a shop."

John Drinkwater, press officer for Westbury Chamber of Commerce, said: "It's a shame they are closing because they are two very good shops. They are in themselves quite typical of the shops we have in Westbury, which tend to be more specialised than other high streets.

"We're constantly trying to do things to make the town more presentable such as the Pop to the Shops campaign, which has gone down very well."