ANOTHER shop has closed this week in an historic York street .

Rabbit Rabbit Gifts in Stonegate, formerly Peter Rabbit and Friends, has a head office based in Kendal, Cumbria, and closed for the final time this week.

The shop marks the latest of several businesses which have closed in Stonegate over the last year, including Mulberry Hall and Old Guys Rule, as well as temporary closures for a number of businesses.

Nobody at the management of Rabbit Rabbit Gifts would comment on the closure, but a sign posted in the shop’s window said: “We regret to advise customers that we have decided to consolidate our retail business to our shops in Cumbria, and as a result, our York shop will close.”

Last week, The Press revealed coffee shop giant Starbucks will close its Stonegate branch early in the new year.

The coffee shop had been part of Stonegate for 17 years, and a spokesman said the decision to close had been “difficult”, but necessary due to its performance.

He said: “Like many other retailers, and as part of the normal course of our business, we regularly review our stores to ensure they’re contributing to a strong business performance.”

The coffee franchise still has stores in the railway station and in Coney Street.

However, it is not all bad news for Stonegate, following the £250,000 investment and refurbishment of Ye Olde Starre Inne which reopened in September after a two-week closure, and last month’s opening of The Botanist, which took over part of the former Mulberry Hall site.

Another part of the Mulberry Hall building was taken over by German Christmas retailer Käthe Wohlfahrt, which opened in August this year, and following the announcement of a takeover earlier this year, fashion retailer Jack Wills is set for a makeover.

The company was taken acquired by Union Lifestyle, which said all five existing shops will be refitted and up to 13 new stores will be created from next month.

There are still three Peter Rabbit And Friends stores in operation in the UK - in Bowness-on-Windermere, Keswick and Hawkshead - and issues on returns, exchanges or refunds can be raised by phoning the head office on 01539 721626.