A new operator for the gift shop in the US departures area of the Airport has been found but is awaiting approval of US officials before it can take over the space.And a new duty-free shop operated by Gosling’s will soon be opening in the arrivals area near baggage claim, LF Wade International Airport general manager Aaron Adderley said.Gosling’s already operates the duty-free shop behind the check-in area.After 30 years, Airport Shops Ltd yesterday closed the gift and sundries shop and adjoining apparel store as well as the gift shop in the BA departure lounge, citing a downturn in business due to lighter passenger loads. Four staff were laid off.“It was disappointing,” Mr Adderley said yesterday.“It is indicative of the declining passenger numbers that we have had over the last several years and certainly a decline in visitor travel. It has become more of a challenge for our retail entities to be financially viable. But we still feel the passengers must still have access to a choice of products and food and beverage.”He said a contraction of concession operators at the Airport may now make sense in today’s business climate so that retailers operating there could be more viable by realising economies of scale “while at the same time ensuring that for passengers, choices in products and services remain”.He continued: “We are in talks with an existing operator to assume the retail space left behind by Airport Shops. They are looking forward to being up and running as soon as possible but there are some US CBP (Customs and Border Protection) requirements that have to be satisfied before the new entity can be upstairs. The process is taking a little longer than we would have liked.”Mr Adderley said when they get the green light the space will undergo refurbishment and then open for business hopefully “within days or weeks”.“We don’t want passengers to be put at an inconvenience any longer than necessary,” he said.He declined to name the party they are in talks with at this stage.But The Royal Gazette understands the duty-free shop operators are hoping to take over the upstairs space.Mr Adderley said for the time being newspapers and snacks were available in the check-in area at the Bermuda Bookstore and the Pulp & Circumstance gift shop upstairs may sell them too.He added that management would like a better and more natural flow past the retail areas similar to US gateway airports, but LF Wade was an old Airport and they were constrained by its layout and fact the only departing passengers could shop upstairs.Island Coffee and La Trattoria will continue to operate the food concessions upstairs.He said two parties had expressed interest in taking over the gift shop space in the BA departure area. He said the Airport hoped to come to an agreement with one of those parties soon.Last year legislation was passed paving the way for the new duty-free shop in the arrivals hall.The legislation was said to bring Bermuda in line with more than 50 countries around the world, including the UK and Switzerland, which have arrivals duty-free stores.Goods on sale will include cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, spirits and wine.Passengers will have to declare purchased duty-free on their Customs declaration forms along with any other goods they’ve purchased abroad.