A HAIRDRESSERS is planning to cut its ties with a Southend shopping centre.

Supercuts is the latest high street chain to decide to close.

Supercuts, Royals Shopping Centre, High Street, Southend will close it’s doors for the final time on May 30.

The store’s hairdressers have been offered the chance to relocate to the chain’s Basildon branch in the Eastgate Centre rather than facing the chop.

However it would mean a longer commute for staff such as hairdresser Mandy, who lives in Rochford.

She said: “Basildon isn’t much good for me as its too far away.

“The news has come as a bit of a shock - to be honest.

“I’m very disappointed.

“The closure is not because of a lack of customers - business is not slow.

“The Royals are putting the rent up to £80,000 a year.

“We are not making the sort of money to be able to pay that much in rent.”

Other stores that operate at the Royals were approached about the alleged rent hikes but declined to comment.

The Royals Shopping Centre, which celebrated its 30th birthday last month, was built by Co-operative Insurance Society, then bought by Warner Estates in 2004.

It was sold two years later to Orchard Street Property Investment before being bought by the current landlords, the Australian Cromwell Property Group, four years ago.

Over Christmas, The Royals was full up with tenants, but since then, Tik Tok watch shop and Toys’N’Tuck toy store have both pulled out.

Supercuts is part of Regis Corporation, which is headquartered in the US and traces its roots back to 1922.

Earlier this month, the Coventry-headquartered Regis UK (the British arm of the business) posted pre-tax losses of £5m for the year to July 1, 2017, compared to £2m in 2016. Turnover also decreased from £69.6m to £65.3m.

Supercuts exited 52 locations compared to 37 a year earlier, although it opened two concessions in department stores.

The departure of Supercuts comes at a bleak time for Southend town centre, after news broke earlier this week that Top Shop would be leaving the High Street in July.

Last week it was reported that the town’s Argus is moving into Sainsbury’s.

Other chains are also struggling in south Essec.

Discount chain Poundworld is pursuing a restructuring plan that could see it shut around a third of its stores, putting more than 1,500 jobs in doubt.

It is considering an insolvency procedure which would allow it to slash its rents and close stores.

Under the plans, Poundworld could close 100 of its 355 stores. It currently has stores at Eastgate Shopping Centre, Basildon and Pelican Retail Park, Rayleigh.