A COMMUNITY co-operative in Pendle selling Third World and environmentally friendly goods will close at the end of the month because of a lack of customers.

Just Dust, one of the best-known shops in Colne, specialises in fair trade products which pay Third World workers a fair wage to produce a variety of crafts and other items.

It has also branched out into health foods and recycled products.

The shop, in Church Street, near the town hall, has been in business 12 years.

David Magnall, a member of the co-operative that runs the shop, said: "We're simply not taking enough money to keep going.

"Some of the volunteers who run the shop have other things on their plate and they can't devote the time to the shop.

"It's basically down to fatigue. The customers have reacted with dismay to the news.

"But we decided we couldn't go on."

The shop started out selling Third World crafts on a similar basis to the Traidcraft ideal of paying workers a reasonable wage to fight against exploitation.

From there it expanded into other items.

The shop started selling health foods and other nutritional supplements after the Nature's Way shop across Church Street closed and its business transferred to Just Dust.

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