The owners of a family-run bakery are fearing for the future of their business after a chain registered its interest in an empty unit - just two doors down.

Lynn Bartholomew has run Eats and Treats on St Albans Road with her husband for 20 years, once owning numerous other shops and a wholesale bakery.

They even supplied Welsh cake to the Queen and catered for the famous banquet scene in the first Harry Potter movie.

However the future of her business now hangs in the balance after Wenzel’s the Bakers submitted an application to open a store in the vacant former Santander bank just yards from their shopfront.

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“We are in shock. We knew it was coming but we were hoping it wasn’t,” said Mrs Bartholomew.

“It is a worry. We are in the middle of refurbishing and you think ‘is this a good idea?’

“I can’t see it going anywhere, no matter what we do. They don’t care about independent companies.”

The Bartholomews used to own an Eats and Treats shop in Rickmansworth as well but business rapidly dropped when Wenzel’s moved in on the same street.

In the end they were forced to close, and now they are worried the same will happen again.

“When Wenzel’s moved in five doors down it kicked us completely so we know what effect it will have on us,” she added.

“We’re down to only one shop now. We put 110 per cent into what we do and really go the extra mile for our customers. We hope they stay loyal.”

Mrs Bartholomew also has her family's livelihoods to consider, with her two teenage daughters working alongside her at the shop, as well as two other permanent staff.

Watford Borough Council is currently considering the application.

On its website, Wenzel’s says it is “currently expanding the brand and hope to have an additional 20 shops in the near future”.Wenzel’s has been contacted for comment.