A chippy owner in a borough town is urging people to “shop local” amid fears there will be an influx of chains that move in and lead to a downturn in trade.

Award-winning Chips at No.8 on Clifton Road in Prestwich has tasted success and expanded this year to include an adjoining restaurant after first opening more than six years ago.

Owner Dan Edwards has shared a post online highlighting “fears and hopes” around changes in the town with chain hospitality firms set to arrive.

One such business is pizza chain Rudy’s, which has more than 20 restaurants across the country and will be taking over the former Barclays Bank building on Bury New Road.

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The post said: “Exciting times? Scary times? I’m not sure which emotion will prevail this week? …Prestwich’s tag of an 'up and coming' town really is a thing!

“The chains have identified it as such and are moving in! The impending redevelopment of the precinct has hastened the change.”

The post comes following the major announcement in July that a £100m overhaul of the Longfield Centre was approved by the council.

The layout includes a "Mackie Mayor" style food hall for food and drink operators with communal seating spilling out onto a new square.

Dan aired concerns that chains may “piggyback on the dreams, the visions, the hopes and mostly success of the independent businesses that helped established Prestwich as a community we can be proud of".

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He said: “Don’t get me wrong, they’ll be great additions. They give us more choice and they’ll be great places to eat. They’ll give us another reason to get excited about when friends and family come to visit."

But he has urged people to “support local, support independent” speaking candidly about his fears of being forgotten.

Following the post, Dan told the Bury Times: “There is a sense of fear and hope among myself and other businesses in the area. Of course we’re happy to share and it’s good to see the town evolving.

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“We need a mix of options, but we also need to make sure that the bigger chains don’t stamp out existing independent businesses.

“They have the finances to carry out mass marketing and undercut smaller traders. They have some great products but they simply can’t offer customers the same level of care that an independent can.

“The council needs to be careful not to cause damage to the traders who created demand for the new development in the first place.

"We’re worried that landlords will start seeing pound signs and put everyone’s rents up.

“We now have a restaurant which needs to stay full, and we don’t want to get crushed by the chains.

"I saw it happen when a supermarket moved in to the area and the local butchers, fish mongers and cheese shop all closed soon afterwards.”

After the major regeneration plans were approved this summer, council leader Cllr Eamonn O’Brien said the changes will boost the town's businesses.

He said: “These are truly transformative plans which will reshape Prestwich – from new housing to shops, leisure facilities and a better living environment.

“Regeneration of our town centres is a crucial part of ensuring that the whole of our borough can prosper and thrive for many generations to come, and we’re looking forward to working with our partners to bring the new Prestwich to life.”