A PETROL station in Kings Langley, which was valued in the area as a local shop as well as a refuelling site, has closed.

Texaco announced that its service station in Hempstead Road, Kings Langley, would cease trading on Monday, August 15.

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 came as a "devastating blow" to residents who use the petrol station's retail outlet for daily essentials, such as bread, milk and newspapers.

He said: "The petrol station provides the only shop in the area. A lot of people in Rucklers Lane rely on it. They already lost the local shop, Jollys, last year, which went out of business because of competition from Texaco."

Residents have expressed concerns that the empty petrol station could become derelict and an eyesore if it is not put to another use.

Councillor Fancourt hopes the site will be taken over by another petrol station company.

Texaco has confirmed the site will be sold for alternative use, but no planning applications have been submitted to Dacorum Borough Council at the time the Watford Observer went to print.

This latest shut-down follows similar closures across the country. At least 20,000 service stations across the industry have closed over the past 30 years.