A WINCHESTER city centre eatery has closed its doors after its lease ran out.

The Subway branch in Southgate Street, which now has its windows papered over, shut this week with a notice thanking customers.

It said: “We are sorry to inform you that due to the lease coming to an end this location is now closed.”

The notice then directed people to the sandwich chain’s other Winchester store on The Broadway opposite Winchester Guildhall.

It said: “As a thank you for your repeated custom, if you take a picture of this sign and show it to the staff at Subway, 165 High Street, you will receive a free drink with any sandwich purchase.”

The branch had been in operation for around ten years in one of the most prominent locations in the city centre.

The closure comes as another vacant city centre store looks set to be brought back into use.

A sign has appeared in the St George’s Street unit next to D&G Hardware, previously occupied by Age UK, saying it will reopen as Winchester Travel.

The firm will relocate from their current Parchment Street base on February 25.

Two long-established shops, Wilds Sports on Jewry Street and Creative Crafts, on The Square, which both closed last year are still unoccupied.