TJ Hughes has issued a statement to customers following the closure of its Widnes store.

It was confirmed last week that the chain had closed the doors of its Green Oaks Shopping Centre shop for the final time.

The department store, located beside Morrisons and Widnes Market, had been in the town for decades.

It sold everything from home appliances and clothing to garden furniture and shoes – and was even the first store in Widnes to have an escalator.

A spokesman for the business said: “It is with deep regret and sadness that the TJ Hughes store in Widnes has now closed.

“We are extremely saddened by the need for this.

“Unfortunately, a new lease could not be agreed for the premises, and our tenancy has come to a natural end.”

TJ Hughes was founded by Thomas Hughes in Liverpool back in 1912, growing to become a national chain before entering administration in 2011.

The Widnes store was saved just hours before it was due to close in August 2011, saving 50 jobs, but it has now closed its doors for good.

The company is planning to open a new store in the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington.

Shoppers say the closure of the Widnes store marks the end of an era, with one customer stating: “I have been coming here for years.

“In the early days it was brilliant. You could always get a great bargain.”