One of Bradford's longest established shops is to shut after more than 120 years of trading in the city centre.

Chadwick's, in Kirkgate, will close later this year with its owner partly blaming a "steady decline" in the quality of Bradford's shopping centre for the move.

John Chadwick, pictured, who has run the family business for 36 years, said he was "very sad" to close the store.

But he said the downturn in trade and reluctance among his two children to take over the running of the business had left him with little choice.

The shop, which sells luggage, leather goods and other gifts, has been made available for let and is expected to close within months.

"My two children are not interested in continuing the business and trade in Bradford isn't what it used to be," said Mr Chadwick. "We have witnessed a steady decline for the past five or six years."

He blamed the rise in popularity of big shopping complexes like the White Rose Centre outside Leeds and Meadowhall, near Sheffield for part of the problem. "We have been hit by the rise of the out-of-town shopping centres which are now the type of place that our customers are going to," he said. "Bradford is not the only place that has suffered a decline.

"I have always lived in Bradford and it is very sad to be doing this, but I have been here for 36 years and that is long enough. Having said that, if trade was still booming then I would have carried on a bit longer." The store was established around 120 years ago. It was in the old Mechanics' Building in Tyrrel Street until 1972 before moving to Kirkgate. It employs around four part-time staff.

Mr Chadwick fears that other quality stores will quit the city if its continues to allow more discount stores to trade.

"Shops in Bradford have generally moved downmarket and these are the kind of shops which attract the wrong kind of market for us," he said. "If I was staying I would be worried about what is happening to the city centre."

Today Jeff Frankel, of the Bradford Retail Action Group, said the closure marked the loss of another family-owned independent store in the city.

He said the trend was being repeated across the UK, with shopping centres becoming dominated by large multiples.

"It is an absolute shame that a long established family business is to cease trading in Bradford," he said.

"We can only hope that the regeneration of the city centre comes in the near future.

"The plans look fairly radical and exciting and it is just important that they come sooner rather than later."