Major charity shop chain with 560 branches to shut beloved high street store tomorrow
A HIGH street charity shop from a major chain with 560 branches will close down tomorrow.
The much-loved bookshop in Shropshire revealed it would be shuttering after more than a decade serving the community.
The Oxfam branch in Bull Ring, Ludlow, announced earlier this month that it would be closing.
The charity said it made the “difficult decision” after a period of financial difficulties.
Bosses say the store’s “viability” was uncertain, and eventually could not justify keeping the doors open.
An Oxfam spokesperson thanked the “loyal” customers and community who, the said, have supported the store “so generously” over the years.
The remaining books in the shop will be transferred to other Oxfam branches across the country.
Fortunately, there is another Oxfam branch just down the road, so Ludlow locals wishing to donate to the charity can still drop off items there.
And people were reminded they can still contribute to the charity via its website.
But shoppers and bookworms are still disappointed by the loss.
One anguished local lamented: “Another one bites the dust”.
Another Ludlow resident and avid reader jumped into the comments to share her sympathy with: “Sad for staff”.
The sad news comes as the charity announced that 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 be behind the money-saving measure.
Another much-loved town centre store is also closing down tomorrow.
Fern & Ivy, a nursery specialising in houseplants and pots, located in Cirencester, in the heart of the Cotswolds, is set to close its doors permanently on Saturday, April 26.
A sign in the window of the shop now reads: “Thank you so much for the last three and a half years.
“We’ve enjoyed being part of the community and meeting so many wonderful people along the way.
“Fern & Ivy will continue – it’s just the physical shop that’s closing – so please follow our social media accounts to join us in the next steps of our business journey.”
In March, owner Kate said on the retailer’s Facebook page: “After three and a half years of running our lovely little shop in Cirencester, it’s time for a change!
“At the end of April, we’ll be closing our physical shop – but don’t worry, this isn’t goodbye, the end of a chapter, but not the end of the book!“
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.