High street staples La Senza and Hawkins Bazaar have become the latest companies to leave Wimbledon town centre the continuing economic gloom.

Toy shop Hawkins Bazaar, on the bottom floor of Centre Court shopping centre, shut its doors a week before its lease ran out on January 5, leaving stock on the shelves and displays still in place. 

La Senza, also in Centre Court, will be shutting shortly following a closing down sale. 

The lingerie chain is losing 81 stores in drastic measures to avoid having to go into administration. 

The firm was bought by a private equity group, Lion Capital, in 2006, after Theo Phaphitis (of Dragon's Den fame) sold his stake in the company for £100m.

With the latest losses there will be three empty units in Centre Court, including the former Colors clothing store, which has been empty for months.

Centre Court marketing manager Samantha Brown said she believed the space would be taken over quickly.

She said: “It’s a shame but generally we have a lot of interested parties looking at the units.

“The amount of people visiting the centre is up on last year every single week and we have had some really positive feedback from some retailers about sales.” 

Merton Chamber of Commerce chief executive Diana Sterck is also optimistic.

She said: “In the main for Wimbledon I think it’s doing much much better than other town centres.”

Despite the closures, shoppers continue to take advantage of the sales.

Fiona Lewry, from Twickenham, said: “It’s quite busy for a Friday, there seems to be an awful lot of people around.”  

But the number of empty shops in the Broadway may rise after Blacks Leisure, owners of Blacks, and Millets camping stores, went into administration.

There are currently several unused premises on the road including a former opticians, an Indian restaurant and a bakers.

What would you do to encourage more trade in Wimbledon? Email us at: newsdesk@wimbledonguardian.co.uk.