"It is sad to close, especially for the girls who have put a lot of time and effort into the shop.We have a good rapport with all our customers, it's sad for me."

Store manager Millie Minasian says that she has handled and sold a variety of different creatures over the 15 years that she has worked there.

She said: "I've always loved this pet shop, my children always came in here and my son had a job here. When one of the managers left he phoned me up to say there was a job going and I started working here.

"We've sold tarantulas, we got a lot of people over their fear of them over the years. Nothing scares me though - my son bought me one for mother's day!

"We've sold everything hissing cockroaches, millipedes, snakes and lizards."

Meanwhile Susie Culmer, another Pets In Town stalwart who has worked there for 17 years, said: "I studied animal care for three years at Plumpton before taking a job here.

"It's quite difficult knowing that we will be closing soon, all the customers are being very nice about it. It's tough."