A GIFT shop in Taunton has closed - although the owner has pledged to continue the business "in some form or other".

Wellwishers sent messages of support to Catherine Esbester on her last day at the Ginger Fig store in Bath Place yesterday (Saturday).

The outlet, which also featured a gallery where local artists and craftspeople to showcase their talents, had been due to cease trading by the end of May after 12 years.

But Ms Esbester took the decision to close some weeks before she had originally planned.

She recently said: "Don’t despair as it is my current thinking that Ginger Fig will continue in some form or other - almost definitely online, and very probably at certain events or in occasional pop-up form."