A CHARITY shop in Hazel Grove looks set to close after more than 30 years in the town - to make way for another pub!
Oxfam's London Road premises, which opened in 1974 and currently has 20 volunteer staff on the books, will close later this summer because the landlord has decided to sell up.
Oxfam management say they cannot justify the cost of relocating, and have announced the store will cease trading by mid-September once the contract expires.
Oxfam spokeswomen Lucy Brinnican, said: "At present we cannot justify relocating the Hazel Grove shop to another premises in the area. We have looked at other properties but the rent is much higher than Oxfam's current home in the retail block and with extra costs of fitting and labour it's not financially viable.
"It has been a very difficult decision to make and we are very aware of how saddened the volunteers must be feeling."
The team of volunteers have started a petition calling for customers to lend their support to securing a new shop for the team to carry on their good work. As of Tuesday the petition had over 800 signatures and according to staff was still going strong.
"We're getting people who aren't even buying anything just coming off the street to sign it. People really don't want us to go," said one of the volunteers who asked not to be named. "We sell good quality stuff at cheap prices that you just can't get anywhere else, particularly bedding and children's toys.
"We don't want to go either. We'd love to carry on somewhere else. But the lease runs out on September 22, so we will have to be out by then whatever happens," she said, adding. "There's a rumour a Weatherspoon's will open in our place, but Hazel Grove doesn't need another bar."
Article first published in Community News at www.communitynewsgroup.co.uk on 18/08/07
