Staff at a cash and carry store in Preston are planning to throw a farewell party to commiserate the closure of their workplace.

Tradex, off Ringway, Preston, will close at the end of January with the loss of 57 jobs.

It was the second employer to announce job losses after conservatory and double glazing firm Planet PVC Group, based at Walton Summit, made 50 people redundant.

Jonathan Briffett, Tradex manager, said: "We all knew that we were going to go eventually with the Grosvenor development Tithebarn Regneration Project.

"But we thought it was going to be in two years time, so yes it was a bit of a shock."

Mr Briffett said the store would be open as usual until Sunday, January, 29, and staff were planning a farewell party for the beginning of February.

The site has been earmarked for demolition under the £450m Tithebarn scheme, which will see a swathe of development across the northern part of the city.

The company owns seven stores across the country -- five are closing -- Mr Briffett said the closure was a result of the slowdown in high street spending.

"Some people who work here opened the shop 13 years ago and will be closing the shop at the end of the month," he added.

He called on employers with vacancies to get in touch.

Meanwhile Dean St John, founder of Planet PVC Group, said 50 jobs were shed from the company before Christmas -- 20 in management across the country and 30 at a roof manufacturing plant on Walton Summit.

On December 23 Planet PVC Group went into administration. Mr St John said this was a result of a poor performing franchise operation in the south of England.

But 200 jobs within the company's North West retail operation were saved when administrators, Deloitte, sold it back to a management team led by chairman and founder Mr St John on December 28.

Mr St John, said: "I would like to stress that no customers, guarantees or contracts are affected by this.

"Our retail customer base in the North West is unaffected by this decision and has never been in stronger shape."