ONE of the Beefy Boys' founders has revealed what it's like to trade as an independent business in Hereford's Old Market shopping centre.

The shopping centre has had a rocky ride since its opening, with several shops opening and closing, while others seem to have enjoyed great success.

One of those is the Beefy Boys, which is regularly fully booked, despite expanding to take on a second unit at the Old Market.

The Beefy Boys' Anthony Murphy, known as Murf, said: "As long-term tenants at the Old Market, we've been lucky to see our trade increase to the highest it's ever been with the Old Market centre still being a real hub for not only national chains but local operators.

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"The trade is there but it's obviously far harder for retail to thrive than it is for hospitality.

"With more and more people purchasing online it's probably time to have a look at how we view city centres, perhaps looking at more leisure activities or bespoke retail experiences you have to physically go to get the most out of may be better than what we all understand as classic retail or shopping centre."

In recent years, several shops at Old Market have closed, with the chain L'Occitane being the latest to announce its imminent closure in Hereford.

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Debenhams closed in 2021, with other closures including Topshop, which is now Mountain Warehouse, Swarovski and Paperchase, which has since turned into Men Kind.

Despite the success of the Beefy Boys, other restaurants in Old Market have closed in recent years.

Franky and Benny's closed in 2020, as did the Old Market's Prezzo and Chimichanga restaurants in 2018.

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British Land, the company which operates Old Market, was approached for comment on the recent closures and the shopping centre's future plans.

The Hereford Beefy Boys restaurant was first opened in 2016 by a quartet of burger-loving childhood friends, after the award-winning business was founded in 2011.

They have two other restaurants in Shrewsbury and Cheltenham.