AROUND 12 staff are being made redundant after the directors of a value shop decided to pull out of Taunton.

Plenty of bargains are being advertised at this is it, in East Street, next to Waterstones, ahead of its closure.

The premises will be taken over by The Entertainer, which is relocating from nearby County Walk.

Marcello Rossi, managing director of this is it, said: "The Taunton store had become unprofitable.

"We tried to renegotiate a new rent and the owners were very co-operative.

"However, The Entertainer had been looking at relocating and were able to pay the higher rent required.

"Based on that, we took the difficult decision to close."

The Newton Abbot business, which has had a Taunton presence for seven years, has four other stores, which are all profitable.

Mr Rossi added: "Unfortunately, the staff will be made redundant.

"Taunton is a lovely town and if another opportunity came up there in the right place and at the right rent, we'd give it serious consideration.

"The staff were all heartbroken when we told them last week, but sometimes you have to make difficult decisions to protect the rest of the business.

"They've put so much effort into the business that it was a hard decision."