FIVE shops are closing their doors in the Old George Mall as the number of empty shops in the city increases.

JD Sports, Accessory Co, River Island and Calendar Club have decided not to renew their leases while La Senza went into administration before Christmas and closed earlier this month.

Jon Osgood, the Old George Mall’s general manager, said: “Obviously it’s always a concern if you’ve got empty shop units within a shopping centre or high street but we’re optimistic that we will be able to fill them with new names.

“We have monthly management meetings when it is discussed and at our last meeting a couple of weeks ago there was some interest from businesses.”

Elsewhere in the city, Hawkins Bazaar has closed its shop in Butcher Row after going into administration at the end of last year.

Explore! Learn! Create! in Queen Street has also closed and is reopening as a hairdressing salon.

Next door, Bijoux Beads is closing, blaming a lack of trade, and looking to move to other premises in the city but “hasn’t found anywhere suitable yet”.

In the Cross Keys Shopping Centre, Mulberry Gifts is closing its doors and Great Western Camping, in Catherine Street, has also closed.

But despite the number of businesses moving out of Salisbury, Ian Newman, chairman of Salisbury City Centre Management, is positive about the future.

He said: “We monitor the situation regularly and it’s quite interesting that while shops have closed, there are many others that are opening, for example New Look and Fat Face.

“At any time, whether now as we are coming out of a recession, or any other time, businesses come and go.

“We are saddened by the demise of some, national chains such as La Senza and Hawkins Bazaar, and sadly smaller ones as well.

“But we are very lucky that we don’t have that many vacant shops and few of them are boarded up. We’re doing better than a lot of other cities and town centres here in Salisbury; we seem to be quite resilient at the moment.”