Two well-known shops have closed their doors for good in Dartmouth town centre, adding to concerns about the pressure facing the town’s high street.

Cotton Traders and Mountain Warehouse, both on Duke Street, have shut their Dartmouth branches, with simple A4 notices placed in their windows informing visitors of their departure.

Mountain Warehouse had occupied 18 Duke Street for 10 years, but the 1,024 sq ft premise is now being marketed to let at £2,917 a month.

The closure comes as retailers across the UK continue to face changing consumer habits, rising operating costs and wider economic pressures.

Business rates are one of the rising costs retailers face. Rateable values are set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), with business rates then calculated using a multiplier set by central government.

For the Mountain Warehouse premises, the estimated rateable value increased from £22,000 between April 2023 and March 2026 to £33,000 from April 2026.

Using an assumed retail relief calculation, the annual business rates liability would rise from around £8,404 to £12,606 – an increase of over £4,000 a year.

Cotton Traders, at 7 Duke Street, has also seen its rateable value increase. It is currently listed at £41,250, compared with £27,500 between April 2024 and March 2026.

On the same retail relief assumption of 38.2 pence as the multiplier, the annual liability would increase from £10,505 to £15,757.50.

For Dartmouth, the closures leave two prominent units vacant in a town where businesses rely on seasonal trade.

A dry summer may have boosted visitor numbers, but the impact of increased footfall on individual businesses is difficult to measure.

While the closures do not necessarily reflect Dartmouth’s wider retail sector, the loss of two established national retailers will add to the debate over how high streets can remain attractive and viable in an increasingly challenging environment.