TRADERS in Great Malvern are split in their views over the current state of their town centre.

Jane Randall, manager of Gaia Clothing, Church Street, said Great Malvern is "dying a death".

"I think the worst thing Malvern Hills District Council did was let them built Matalan," she said, "If you walk through Malvern town centre, what is there? There's nothing but empty shops and charity shops."

Veg n' Things manager Peter Petherick also blamed the retail park at Roman Way for the regular shutting down of shops.

"I think Malvern is split into too many shopping areas. If the bigger stores really wanted to come in I think they would have done before the charity shops," he said.

"Specialist shops have come in the past and they haven't worked, there's not enough customers."

Gary Heron, of Heron News, said the town faced numerous prob-