The new year has brought mixed fortunes for the district's high streets.

In Teignmouth and Dawlish the doors of Woolworths have closed for the last time after the 99-year-old firm folded.

Now Newton Abbot could lose one, if not two, big name stores as the recession bites.

The Card Warehouse, Courtenay Street, is closing after parent company Celebrations Holdings Group went into administration.

The firm has 288 stores nationwide and employs 1,800 staff.

Nobody was available to comment about the Newton Abbot closure.

In Market Walk a shadow has fallen over children's clothing specialist Adams Kids. It, too, has gone into administration.

In a statement, the 75-year-old retailer said: 'The downturn in the high street retail market and the general tightening of the financial markets l From page 1

has adversely affected the financial position of the group.'

Adams employs 3,350 workers. Its Market Walk staff declined to comment.   

Better news came from the women's clothing firm Bonmarché which has applied to convert two units in Market Walk into one. Both have been empty or used by charity shops.

Stuart Polehill, Market Walk centre manager, said: 'In this doom and gloom atmosphere it's a very positive bit of news.

'We do have a few positives in Newton Abbot. New Look has been totally refurbished as has Iceland and O2, that's three expressions of confidence in the town.'

At Austins, the department store which has been a town centre landmark for 70 years, store director Trevor Boobyer said that after 'level pegging' throughout the year the firm had enjoyed an 'absolutely amazing' 30 per cent increase in business on the first day of its winter sale.

Sales on the second day were also up on last year.

'There is no doom and gloom here,' he said.

'We have a fantastically loyal customer base and we thank them for their support. We've always done what they've asked us to which is provide style, value and a little glamour, that is the difference.

'There will always be an Austins in Newton Abbot.'

Newton Abbot Town Centre Development Manager, Sally Henley said traders had reported strong sales during the Christmas period and that the town was in a good position to weather the economic storm.

'It could have been a criticism of Newton in the past that it had too few high street names but it means we are also not so vulnerable when times are tough,' she said.

'My talks with traders on Monday were very refreshing, they are very pleased with the level of business and I believe that a positive outlook breeds positive results.

'I'm also delighted that Bonmarché is coming to town, it is a very good, strong business and a welcome addition to Newton abbot and the district.'

Cllr David Corney-Walker, Teignbridge Council's economy spokesman, was also determined to look on the bright side.

He said the town centre redevelopment and the arrival of Asda had given Newton Abbot 'a new lease of life'.

The authority was encouraging businesses to the area and calling on owners of commercial property to be 'realistic' about rental opportunities.

The government had also scrapped tax relief on empty properties thereby removing the incentive for keeping them unoccupied.

'Teignbridge is playing its part in getting businesses into empty units,' he said.

'The commitment of both Teignbridge and the town council to the Newton Abbot Community plan shows that we believe Newton Abbot has a vibrant and dynamic future.'