Major charity shop chain with 560 branches confirms it will shut beloved high street store in just weeks
A MAJOR charity shop chain with 560 branches has confirmed it will shut one of its beloved high street store in just weeks.
The adored Shropshire bookshop announced it would be closing this month after more than a decade serving the local community.
Oxfam in Bull Ring, Ludlow is shutting up shop for the last time on April 26.
The “difficult decision” to close was made after a period of financial difficulties, which bosses say forced them to reevaluate the shop’s “viability”.
A charity spokesperson thanked all their “loyal” customers and community who have supported the store “so generously” over the years.
The books from the shop will be taken to other Oxfam stores across the country and customers have been told they can still donate to the charity on its website.
Ludlow’s other Oxfam shop just down the road will also remain open.
The devastating news comes as the charity announced 265 jobs were at risk of redundancy.
Reduced fundraising and years of increasing operating costs – including wages, utilities and the hike in National Insurance – are believed to have driven this.
Distraught shoppers and bookworms have been left shattered by the news with one anguished local saying: “another one bites the dust”.
Meanwhile, another Ludlow resident and avid reader jumped into the comments to share her devastation: “Sad for staff”.
Bosses said: “We have made the difficult decision to close one of our Oxfam shops in Ludlow.
“We are sorry to have to take this step and want to thank the local community, staff and volunteers who have supported us so generously over the years.
“Customers are welcome to continue to donate and shop with Oxfam at our other shop across the road.”
“Oxfam shops exist to raise as much money as possible to fund our work with communities around the world to overcome poverty and suffering.
“We constantly evaluate the profitability of all our shops and sometimes this leads to difficult decisions about the viability of particular shops, as it sadly has in this case.”
This comes as an Oxfam bookshop in Bishop’s Stortford, East Hertfordshire, closed last month.
An announcement on Facebook by a local councillor read: “It’s always sad to see shops close in the High Street (Oxfam bookstore closing in April – well in this case North Street).”
The organisation attributed the closure to the area no longer being a popular retail destination.
Loyal shoppers were saddened to hear the news and filled the comment section with their farewell messages.
“Oh what a shame,” penned one disappointed customer.
“Very sorry to see Oxfam bookshop go,” wrote another.
A third agreed: “Very sad news.”
Someone else shared: “That’s really sad. I drive up from Brighton twice a year and always visit this shop and pick something up.”
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
Fewer shops closed than in previous years, and there was a reduction from 151,641 job losses in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement was “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Besides Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, the biggest retail failures of 2023 included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.