Anyone know what happened to the Red Hot Chilli People in Market Street? I was intending to pop into the shop (one of my favourites) on Friday after the Tour of Britain but as I walked past before the Tour, I noticed there was a shop for rent sign outside and the shutters were pulled down.

I walked past again after the Tour had finished and in the interim few hours it had actually opened into what I assume was a Women's clothes shop or Boutique or something - not precisely sure what I must admit but definitely no spices and hot sauce in sight!

It only seems like a few months ago that RHCP moved to that new spot. Does that mean they've gone for good?

On the same day I went into Julian Graves shop and they were having a closing down sale. The assistant said it closes for good on Thursday. He said that the revised rent asked for by the landlord was too high and not worth their while. I wonder if that's why the Chilli People left too.

That's what I'd heard too. Julian Graves is owned by Holland and Barrett no? What a shame they wouldn't stump-up some cash to continue to support the brand and the jobs?

I saw that a few rails of clothes had taken-up residence in the RHCP outlet, thought it was a charity shop but maybe they hadn't finished. The vacant shops in Wells could well be under threat from these folks http://tinyurl.com/65xszv3

Funnily enough I did actually wonder if it was squatters who had taken over the RHCP shop when I saw it because they'd moved in so quickly and there was no signage above the shop.

I guess Holland and Barrett may just be consolidating their business into one store in Wells then. It makes more sense, although not much fun for the employees.

The assistant I spoke to in JG on Friday did say that the JG shop in Street may in fact be rebranded as an H&B soon, when I asked him if that one was in danger of closing.

Greedy landlords, exhorbitant rates and supermarket competition makes it no wonder that many high streets are dying out. Desperate times.