William Hill says 119 of its betting shops won't reopen after the coronavirus lockdown.

The company, which has 1,500 UK outlets, including several in Cheltenham and Gloucester, doesn't expect to have as many customers as it had before the pandemic, as reported by the BBC.

Around 300 staff have been affected, most of whom have been redeployed.

While trading has recovered well, William Hill said sales fell by a third to £554m, reflecting both the impact of the lockdown and the cancellation of a large number of sporting events.

William Hill was already cutting its high street stores before the coronavirus crisis, after new regulations cut the size of a stake in fixed-odds betting terminals in its shops from £100 to £2.

The company said furlough allowed it to protect the jobs of 7,000 UK retail staff and it has taken the decision to repay the furlough funds."