THE owner of Devizes ladies' fashion shop Beale's (Bath) Ltd wants to reassure customers that it is not going to close until next year at the earliest.

Developers, including the pub chain J D Wetherspoon, have been eyeing the shop for some time and while the owners are in discussions with a local agent they say the shop is open and trading.

Bob Roberts-Phare, managing director of Beale's, said: "It's true that the shop is on the market but we have bought stock for the next season and even if planning permission is given for a developer we intend to stay open until next February."

Mr Roberts-Phare said Beale's had signed a contract with a local developer who was looking to sell the shop to another retailer.

However a spokesman for Wetherspoon's said the company was still interested in the Beale's shop as a location for a pub.

The spokesman said: "Wetherspoon's has been looking for a suitable site to open a pub in Devizes for some time and we are continuing to look. We want to have a pub in Devizes and we are still interested in that particular shop (Beale's)."