A POPULAR shop faces closure unless a buyer can be found.

Castle News in Malton has been on the market for 18 months and despite interest being shown the business has yet to sell.

Now owner Mike Williams said that unless the newsagents is sold by the end of March, he will be forced to close with the loss of seven jobs.

He said: “I am approaching 70 and so I am looking to retire. My wife is from Sheffield so we want to move over that way to be nearer to her grandchildren.”

Mike said he also hoped to spend more time with his daughter, Sophie, who is in care home in Wales after contracting Japanese encephalitis while undertaking research in China four years ago.

“It is a long drive over to Wales so retiring will allow me to see Sophie more often,” he said. Mike, who lives in Rillington, has run the shop, known locally as Matt’s, for 33 years. “My father owned a newsagents and I worked in the newspaper industry for over 20 years, including national salesman for Associated Newspapers so papers have always been a part of my life,” he said.

Mike said although the sale of newspapers has declined, the shop has diversified to meet those challenges.

“There have been a few changes to the shop along the way with two refits. We have also seen the introduction of the National Lottery, which continues to have a strong customer base, and the sale of Ryedale District Council parking permits,” he added.

“We also have a very strong delivery base supplying papers all over Malton and Norton.”

Mike is also well-known locally for running charity quizzes, which have raised thousands of pounds over the years.

“I did my first quiz in 1992, which was the Sundella quiz, and poignantly my last quiz will be the 2020 Sundella Quiz,” he said.

Mike added that he was open to offers for the newsagents. “I’m quite happy to listen to offers and unless a buyer is found I will be forced to close the shop next spring.”