A JINXED area of Warminster has become a shopping pariah with empty shops creating an unwelcome gateway into the town centre.

Traders have hailed the East Street area as grim, with local group Action for Warminster demanding that the council improve the image of the area or lose out on town centre trade.

The issue of one particular empty premises which until recently had a neglected appearance and smashed windows, was brought up at last Thursday's Southern Area Committee, when district councillors were told that the shop owners had been contacted.

Roger Hill, acting Housing Services manager, said his initial contact with the owner had been unsuccessful.

He said: "It is a particular property that has been neglected. It is rather run down and we are trying to do something about it to get it sorted.

"Local shop owners were unhappy about the general appearance of the store.

"There are some nice shops there but it isn't encouraging people to come there and shop."

Elisabeth Collyns of Action for Warminster also agreed that the rundown shop and general image of the area was not an encouragement for town centre trade. She said: "We are trying to improve East Street with the street scene but we are having problems with particular shops.

"The area is a bit jinxed and people don't view it as a shopping area of the town.

"It is supposed to be an entrance into Warminster and things will happen, but things are happening very slowly."

The area's image was also tarnished on New Year's Day last year when Warminster man Simon Eggleton was found dead in the doorway of an empty shop in East Street, after a drugs overdose.