ONE of Newton Abbot’s oldest businesses has announced its shock closure after more than 100 years of trading in the town.

Bosses at beer brewery company Tuckers Maltings is set to close its doors for the last time in October after 118 years in Newton Abbot.

The out-of-the-blue shut down, which was announced yesterday, has been blamed on difficulties in staying competitive in the modern world.

Tuckers Maltings, based near Osborne Park in the town, is one of only four malt houses in the country which still produces traditional malt.

The business, which hosts a very popular annual beer festival, supplies malt to more than 30 breweries in the south west.

Town and district councillor Ann Jones said: ‘I am totally shocked at the sudden announcement if the closure of Tuckers Maltings.

‘It has been a historic feature in the town for so long and to lose this is tragic.’

Cllr Jones, who was last year’s mayor, added: ‘The beer festival is an important annual event within the town and brings a lot of revenue into Newton Abbot.

‘It seems that I will have been the last mayor to have the pleasure of opening the festival.’

News of the sudden closure has come only weeks after high street giants Marks and Spencer revealed it would be leaving the town.

Officials at Tuckers Maltings have revealed it will stop production in September when all the crops have been malted but will stop supplying customers by the end of October.

A letter sent to the business’ customers said: ‘After producing malt in Newton Abbot for 118 years the directors of Tuckers have had to make the sad decision to close the maltings in the autumn of 2018.

‘We have always been proud to be the smallest maltsters in the country producing malt in the old traditional way.

‘Operating on this scale has finally proven to be uncompetitive in the modern world and increasing capacity within the old traditional building would be very difficult while not jeopardising the quality of the product.’

Sally Henley, Newton Abbot’s town development manager, said: ‘It’s very upsetting news that Tuckers will be closing its operation, which has been such a proud feature of Newton Abbot’s history.’

She added: ‘Businesses are operating in an increasingly competitive market and casualties are a sad result of these tough times.’

Edwin Tucker and Sons, which runs the maltings, have country stores in both Ashburton and Crediton.

It is not clear if the Newton Abbot closure will have an impact on the other outlets.

A spokesman for the brewery business was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.