A FORMER family butchers on Frizington’s Main Street is set to become housing.

Copeland planners have received plans to convert Parker’s Butchers.

According to the submission, the butchers ceased trading because of “large supermarkets and their price competition strategies” which left the small business unable to compete.

The applicant said other shops on Main Street had closed and they have no intention of marketing the property for other rental purposes because of the lack of parking for passing trade.

Gwyneth Everett, Arlecdon & Frizington Parish Council clerk, said a lot of local shops had closed in recent years, making it harder for older residents.

“The council is always interested in welcoming new businesses to the village, but it’s difficult because people want the big shops, but this means it’s the local shops that suffer,” she said.

Although there is a small car park for shoppers near the old Kangol site, she said the parking situation on Main Street was difficult to address.

She said: “The road is really narrow and there is already a lot of traffic going up and down. We don’t want to make it any worse than it already is.”