The store was popular among homeware fans and baking enthusiasts of all levels, leaving a gap in the market for those seeking specialist baking utensils and general baking advice

Lakeland has announced the closure of its store at the Derbion shopping mall in Derby.

Derbion bosses have described the news as "disappointing".

On the Lakeland website, an announcement said: "We are sorry to say that our Derby store is now closed.

"However, we hope you will continue to shop with us, either online or in one of our other stores nationwide.

"Your nearest Lakeland stores are now in Nottingham and Stapleton, Leicestershire.

"You can rest assured that anything you bought from our Derby store will still be covered by our three-year guarantee, and our friendly customer services team will be happy to help you with any queries.

"Thank you for choosing to shop with us, it is greatly appreciated."

Beth McDonald, managing director of Derbion said: "We are disappointed to confirm that Lakeland is closing its store.

"This is a commercial decision taken by the retailer and we wish its staff well."

Lakeland is a chain of British kitchenware stores whose headquarters are in Windermere in the Lake District, the area the company is named after.

It was founded in the 1960s and continues to be a family-run business.

It stocks everyday utensils and preserving essentials to new cookware which Lakeland says are "long-lasting and offer great value for money".

Speaking about a previous Lakeland store closure earlier this year in Berkshire, the retailer cited a change in consumer spending habits, which led to a reduction in footfall at the shop and eventual closure.

Derbion is a busy shopping mall with 170 businesses.

It is expected to welcome new additions in the coming months.

Managing director Beth added: "With the recent announcement that rising Mediterranean food brand, Villa Express, and Asian street food brand, Chi, will be arriving to the centre over the coming months, alongside the Hatch initiative winner, 1NE., our shoppers can be assured that we're dedicated to working closely with new and existing brands to ensure that we have an exciting mix of stores and experiences to enjoy."

You can find the full list of all shops that are open at Derbion on its website here.