A PETROL station in Kings Langley, which is valued in the area as a local shop as well as a refuelling site, is to close.

Texaco announced this week that its service station in Hempstead Road, Kings Langley, will cease trading on Monday.

It has blamed a "challenging market" and "intense competition" amongst the reasons for the decision.

It added that the Kings Langley site "requires substantial investment to bring it up to modern standards and so it is no longer viable as an ongoing business".

Six jobs will be lost as a result of the closure.

Texaco area manager, Brian Carolan, said: "The difficult decision to close the site was not one taken lightly and we are sorry for those directly affected by its closure."

Kings Langley Parish Councillor, Simon Fancourt, said the decision will come as a "devastating blow" to residents who use the petrol station's retail outlet for daily essentials, such as bread, milk and newspapers.

For full story see today's printed version of the Watford Observer.