Store closure fears have been raised by a business group.

The Essex Federation of Small Businesses is worried about the impact the threatened closure of Peacocks in Braintree town centre and Past Times in Braintree Freeport could have.

Essex FSB Chairman Iain Wicks said: "We saw in 2009 when Woolworths closed that losing such stores leaves a big gap in the High Street and such empty stores impact on the shopping experience of visitors, who see vacant retail units as a sign of decline in a shopping area.”