The town became trendy, the high street was booming. Then it got 'scary', fast

It's the former mill town that has become a haven for food and drink lovers.

Home to a host of independent bars, shops and restaurants, Ramsbottom has long prided itself on its thriving high street. But not all is well in the picture-postcard town in the shadow of the West Pennine Moors.

In recent months, Ramsbottom has been rocked by the sudden closures of several beloved establishments, including The Chocolate Café, and Spanish restaurant duo Levanter and Baratxuri - widely regarded as the flag-flyers for the town's hospitality scene.

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The Hearth of the Ram also shut earlier this year and is currently up for sale. The recent departures have prompted an outpouring of sadness, with many fearing the possibility of further casualties.

Rocketing costs and reduced footfall have had a devastating impact on small businesses in towns such as Ramsbottom, traders say. Announcing the closure of the Chocolate Cafe after 15 years, owner Philip Hargreaves said the cost of living crisis was 'hitting us at both ends'. Goods and energy costs have increased by more than 40 per cent and 'in some cases doubled', he said.

Meanwhile, the owners of Levanter blamed the bleak state of the high street, which it said had left them 'so squeezed we cannot breathe or see a single sunlit upland.' Fiona and Joe Botham had previously taken to Twitter to plead with the government for help after their energy bills rose from £18,000 a year to a staggering £55,000 a year.

It's a challenge that other businesses in Ramsbottom know all too well. Last week, gift shop Hearts for Homes took to social media to announce it was reducing its opening hours due to a drop in footfall.

Kerry Khan,