TRADE has dropped significantly following the closure of Woolworths in Potters Bar, a shopkeeper has said. Chris Piercey, who owns Elaine's Stationers in Darkes Lane, told the Potters Bar Edition he was very worried for the future of his business.

TRADE has dropped significantly following the closure of Woolworths in Potters Bar, a shopkeeper has said.

Chris Piercey, who owns Elaine's Stationers in Darkes Lane, told the Potters Bar Edition he was "very worried" for the future of his business.

"I have noticed a substantial drop in trade since Woolworths closed," he said.

"There are lots of car parking spaces out the front and you never used to see that."

Mr Piercey believes the town centre needs a food store to bring footfall back and has contacted Waitrose to see if it was interested in buying the vacant Woolworths building.

But he said: "The fact that it hasn't got a car park put them off."

A spokesman for Waitrose confirmed: "It isn't a store that we are planning to buy."

Eddie Lui, the owner of Majestic Flowers in Darkes Lane, shares some of Mr Piercey's concerns.

"There are definitely less people walking down the street," he said.

"I think we have had less passing trade."

He added: "I don't think it will happen but I would like to see Marks & Spencer come to the town."

And Debbie Stevens, the manager of Hallmark Cards, said: "There is nothing in Darkes Lane to encourage people to shop here."

A spokeswoman for administrators Deloitte, which is overseeing the sale of Woolworths branches across the country, said she could not comment on the state of play with regards to the Darkes Lane store.

However, she said: "There have been expressions of interest from fashion retailers, discount retailers and food retailers for many of the former Woolworths stores."

The unit in Darkes Lane has been vacant since Woolworths closed on January 3, with the loss of 19 jobs.