Howey village shop shuts after 200 years 17 March 2013 Last updated at 15:17 The owners of a Powys village store which is thought to have been open for 200 years are shutting up shop after locals deserted them for a supermarket. Glyn and Joan Bailey spent £30,000 renovating the premises in Howey when they moved in eight years ago. But they said their takings of up to £3,000 a week had halved in the last few years after a Tesco store opened. The body representing local stores said ministers had to do more to support such small businesses. We hoped that more people would rally round and support us but it was not to be End Quote Joan Bailey Howey shop owner Mrs Bailey said the store, which includes a house, had been open continually for around 200 years, and was now up for sale. The shop's doors are set to close on 29 March. The couple moved to Howey, near Llandrindod Wells, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire in 2005, but said for the last five years they had been supporting the shop out of their private pensions. "We hoped that more people would rally round and support us but it was not to be," said Mrs Bailey. Unfortunately a lot of people in and around Howey do not deem it necessary to support a village shop. So the shop, like the school, will close through lack of support from enough people in the area. Part of progress Mrs Bailey, 62, thanked customers who had supported the shop. "Glyn and I have worked very hard trying to bring a well-stocked and clean shop to the village after many years of neglect, and we had succeeded in increasing the turnover dramatically," she added. Aggressive expansion across the UK from supermarkets is endangering the livelihoods of many convenience retailers who are already dealing with increasing costs in all aspects of their business End Quote James Lowman Association of Convenience Stores I was able to employ two part-time ladies and we served many of the community in the post office and shop. But Mrs Bailey let one of her employees go when the supermarket opened in Llandrindod Wells. James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: "Village stores like the one in Howey that are forced to close after having supported communities for many years are an all too common sight. Aggressive expansion across the UK from supermarkets is endangering the livelihoods of many convenience retailers who are already dealing with increasing costs in all aspects of their business. The government needs to do more to support small entrepreneurs and give them a chance to succeed in today's market. The former chief executive of Tesco has described the rise of supermarkets and closure of small shops as "part of progress." Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs last month, Sir Terry Leahy also called some High Streets "medieval," saying the way people lived their lives had changed. Sir Terry said seeing boarded up local shops was sad, but this happened because consumers were choosing to shop at the bigger supermarkets. The British Independent Retailers Association has said 98% of the the UK's £150bn grocery industry is controlled by just nine stores. But its deputy chief executive Michael Weedon has said there could be a silver lining for smaller businesses. He said last month that as large chains such as HMV and Blockbuster closed, more retail premises would become available at cheaper rents.