Rising rents and business rates coupled with dwindling footfall have forced a high street fixture online.

The Chocolate Shop has been trading in Station Parade, Cockfosters, for 37 years.

But the family-run confectioner will close on Christmas Eve as its owners say they cannot afford to stay open.

Owner David Lee said that a combination of falling trade, a new lease and revised business rates made it hard to make a profit.

He said: "Business rates are colossal now – we were promised reductions that never happened. There were also problems with the parking.

“We will continue with our online business – but it’s the end of an era.”

The shop was opened 37 years ago in 1982 by Mr Lee's mother and father. It was originally a franchise of Leonidas Chocolates, a well-known Belgian chocolate brand.

After losing the franchise, the family decided to source the chocolates themselves from Belgium. Expanding into giftware and later furnishings, at one point it had a coffee shop that seated 30 people.

Today it is run by Mr Lee's aunt Jackie Lindley, 72, and specialises in high-quality confectionary, selling loose Belgium chocolates from pralines to cherry liquors, truffles and more.

It also creates its own unique arrangements, chocolate boxes, platters and ornamental items.

Mr Lee spoke about the difficulties facing small retailers in general to stay open, with spiralling costs and decreased footfall - being the main factors.

He says larger retailer chains can challenge landlords for rent reductions, but smaller retailers cannot, adding: "The Indian Restaurant near us which has been going since the 1970s closed five weeks ago.”

But there is still a market for chocolate, and the online side of the business has grown.

Mr Lee added: "About four years ago we started the online business, selling through eBay and Amazon. In recent years the online side of the business has grown where the retail side has decreased – as it has for most retailers, big or small.”