AS one door closes – another one opens… And that is quite literally true in Burnham-on-Sea, as the town bids farewell to its longest-serving shop, while welcoming a new tenant.

GW Hurley Newsagents, in the High Street, is closing tomorrow (November 29) after more than a century serving and delivering news to residents.

Owners Colin and Monika Morris are handing back their paper bags, with former paperboy Colin having been at the helm for more than five decades.

His grandparents opened the shop in 1919 and Colin is the third generation to take over.

But he said the changing marketplace had made it more difficult in recent years and the couple had taken the decision to retire.

Colin Morris started working at GW Hurley as a paperboy more than 50 years ago

After settling on the decision, Colin and Monika reached out to town charity, In Charley’s Memory (ICM), which was facing being homeless after being served an eviction notice from its Highbridge base.

A Crowdfunder has raised thousands to support the charity – which provides mental health care to young people across the county and beyond – as it sought a new home.

But now, the two parties have agreed a 15-year lease – giving the charity security for many years to come.

Dawn Carey, CEO of ICM, said: “I want to personally thank Monika and Colin for their support and determination to provide ICM a home in what is a very important building to them, and to the history of our High Street.

“Thank you to every single member of our community who has donated to our appeal so far or has reached out to offer us support. There are too many to mention individually, but please know how much it is appreciated by our team, clients and the wider community.

“The level of support we have received is a testament to how much our community values the work we do here at ICM.

“When ICM left Burnham six years ago to take up our premises in Highbridge, we were a small charity. Today, with the continued support of the community, we are returning to Burnham as an established leading regional provider of suicide prevention and mental health care with an outstanding reputation and brimming with awards for our work.”

READ MORE: Suicide prevention charity facing closure after eviction notice

Work to relocate is underway, with the charity taking up residence in December.

Donations to the Crowdfunder are still being encouraged to help ICM fit out their new home ready to help people in need of support.

“We are so excited to be back in Burnham on Sea and with the space we now have available to us, the future is very bright,” Dawn went on.

“There is a lot of work to do to get the premises up and running as a counselling service, but every single penny that people are donating will go into transforming this much-loved newsagent into a safe and inspiring space for our clients and community.”

People can also pledge to help with building work at the site, via www.incharleysmemory.com/skills-pledge.

Donations to the Crowdfunder can also be made via https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/icm-suicide-prevention-centre-1.