ONE of March’s most iconic stores, the menswear specialist Boon and Potter, is to close later this year.

Owners Richard and Judith Tasker are preparing to retire - and despite the shop being on the market for the past six months, no prospective buyers have come forward.

The couple have run the traditional High Street shop for the past 32 years, but the shop’s history goes back 88 years.

This week the shop started its closing down sale - but the hire service will continue from the same premises.

“Because this is run as a separate department, this part of the business will not be affected,” said Richard. “The company will continue to hire out wedding and evening suits as in the past, with an even great range becoming available within a few months.

“Retirement has been in the back of our mind for two years, I have been dedicated to the trade, and in the past we have not taken the holidays we should have done.

“But I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, some of our customers have been with us since we took over the business, we have customers who travel to us from all over East Anglia.

“We have always been a traditional store, we specialise in quality branded menswear that cannot be found in the high street chain stores.”

Richard hopes to retire in September, and has plans to buy a caravan and tour around the country.

“There are many beautiful parts of the UK we want to see; we are thoroughly looking forward to our retirement,” he added.