Bakers and cafes in a rural town are facing a massive change when their town's biggest employer moves out.

WA Developments employs around 250 people in Appleby and will move the bulk of its operation to Penrith as soon as next summer.

Marie Bell, of the town's post office, said: "It's going to make a vast difference to the whole town. It's going to be quite a change in Appleby."

She said she expected business to be more difficult when WA Developments left: "We tax their vehicles, they buy a lot of postage stamps from us."

She added the hundreds of workers employed by the firm would be missed and bread shops and cafs would suffer. The firm's daily lunch order alone comes to around £100.

Nicola Magnay, manager of Esperantos caf near the firm's site on the town's fringe, said about three quarters of its trade was with WA Developments staff.

"It will definitely affect us a lot. We don't get a lot of customers from town," she said.

Mrs Magnay said the firm was considering moving to a more central location as a direct consequence of WA Developments' departure.

"We don't want to move but it's something that will probably have to be done."

Another caf, Lady Anne's Pantry, would escape the worst effects of the lost trade, according to partner Ruth Graveson, because it was in Appleby town centre.

However, she added: "It's bound to make a bit of difference."

Andrew Tinkler, the managing director of WA Developments, said the move was needed because the firm had outgrown the site.

"I would have stayed in Appleby if I could have found the right location. There's a soft spot for the town and always will be but I can't afford not to expand," he said.

"The company could be damaged if I don't."

He said the relocation to Penrith would mean better transport links and he hoped it would lead to more jobs as the firm grew.

Mr Tinkler added a fringe benefit to Appleby was that fewer heavy lorries would have to drive through the town.