THERE were tears in the town centre on Saturday as two Bolton institutions closed their doors for good.

Prestons of Bolton jewellery store and Beales department store welcome customers for the last time on New Year's Eve.

Dubbed the ‘Diamond Centre of the North’, Prestons in Deansgate closed at 4pm following a final closing down sale.

The iconic store has been based in the town centre since opening 1869 but suffered due to the declining high street and rise of internet shopping.

Sue Meade has been store manager for the past 20 years and had tears in her eyes during the day.

She said: "It has got busier and busier as time has gone on and it has got more and more emotional for us.

"Customers have been really supportive and have told how sad they are to see an icon in Bolton closing.

"It is just an emotional to have to see this place closing after so long. It is the end of an era and a big part of our lives.

"This is a very sad time and for it have come to this. It will be very sad closing the doors for the last time."

Senior saleswoman Catherine Westhead has worked at the store, which employed around 15 members of staff, for 23 years.

She added: "We are a very, very close knit team and we all look after one another.

"This is our most difficult day for us."

After announcing the closure plans in August, the store closed its doors until September 3 when it launched an 'everything must go sale'.

Stock unsold by Saturday is being transferred to its other outlets in Leeds, Wilmslow and Guildford.

Tony and Janet Godfree, both aged 62, returned to the store on Saturday for an eternity ring after purchasing Mrs Godfree's engagement ring at the store in 1981.

Mr Godfree said: "I've been promising Jan an eternity ring for quite some time so with the store closing down got out of my sick bed to buy one.

"It was the first place we came for the engagement ring so it is very sad to see it closing."

Lisa Scott brought in her 18-year-old daughter Sophie to look for a final memento from the store.

The 48-year-old's family had been travelling from Cheshire for many years to buy jewellery from Prestons.

She said: "Our relationship with the store goes back more and 40 years, my dad would always buy a special Christmas present or birthday present for my mum here.

"It is a shame to see such a traditional place close."

Youngsters Maddison, aged eight, Emelia, aged seven, and Olivia, aged six, Heaton made their first and final visit to the store with grandparents David and Jane Heaton from Wigan.

Emilia said: "I don't want it to close!"

In July, bosses at Beales, also based in Deansgate, confirmed the shop would cease trading in January.

Remembered by many as its former guise Whitakers of Bolton, the building was sold at auction earlier this year for £800,000.

Staff speaking outside the door after serving their final shift said: "It is a very sad day for us all.

"We have all got to know each other, we were one big family, and now it's shut. It's the end of an era."

Pat and Tony Harmon, from Smithills were among the shoppers visiting the store before its closure at 3pm.

Mrs Harmon, aged 69, said: "I used to shop here but not much anymore.

"I feel very sorry for the staff, they should be celebrating New Year not waiting for their jobs to end."

Marie Sandaham, from Westhoughton, was also among shoppers and remembers the days when she would shop at Whittakers.

The 83-year-old added: "My daughter worked here for a quite a while in a cosmetics department. It was sad to see it change from Whittakers and it's a sad day now.

"Bolton really is going downhill. Prestons is closing, BHS is gone, there will be nothing left.

"What it going on with the town? There is nothing here anymore."

A notice in Beales window on Saturday read: "We would all like to say "thank you" to all our customers and thanks for the happy memories. Bye Bolton!"