TWO Chard businesses say that they are being “forced out” of the town after their rent more than doubled in the past year.

Batricar and Danni’s Hairdressers, both based on Avishayes Road, will be closing at the end of this month after their properties were bought by Sheet Anchor Properties Ltd.

Anne Boscence, owner of Danni’s is moving to Lyme Regis once her store closes.

Keith Wells, of Batricar, said that his firm will be trading in Taunton due to the huge increases in rent.

Sue Wells, co-owner of Batricar, said: “We are being forced out.

“The new owners have increased the rent so much that we cannot afford to stay.

“I don’t think anybody will be able to afford this rent.”

Anne Boscence, owner of Danni’s Hairdressers, also slammed the rent increase.

She said: “They have put our rent up from £6,500 to £14,000 plus VAT.

“We had the flat as well and now they want around £19,000 if it is that as well.

“We have been here for 24 years.

“It is not just the customers who are going to be affected, there are friends as well, people going by.

“It is the end of an era. This has been a hairdressers since 1970.

“People are really going to miss it. All of the shops here, we all get on and help each other.

“It is very sad. I can’t believe it.”

Keith Wells of Batricar will be joining forces with Butterfields Mobility Centres Limited in Taunton.

He said: “The fact that they wanted to raise the rent to such a level in this row of shops seems crazy.

“I don’t know who they think will pay that much.

“I had a lease which included the flat so I have had rental from the flat as well, but they have separated it.

“I didn’t really want to just shut.

“We have been operating since 1993. We have loyal customers and we want to be loyal to them.

“I don’t want to leave them unsupported by us.

“I am motability accredited and there are only about 100 people in the country who are, so I am going over to Butterfields as a consultant.”

Mr Wells added: “From my point of view, I just want to get across to people that we can still look after them.”

However, the landlord has said that the two businesses refused to negotiate for the rents.

A spokesman for the landlord’s representatives said: “These two particular tenancies, the hairdressers and the mobility shop, have been there for a number of years.

“The tenants are fully entitled to engage in negotiations.

“We went down to meet with both and at no point did either put forward to the landlord that they wanted to negotiate.”