THE owner of a popular high-street shop has announced they will be closing after seven years, claiming they ‘can’t pay the bills anymore’.
The beloved plant store, dubbed a ‘one-stop botanical centre in the heart of Gloucester Road’, specialises in a wide range of indoor plants, has an outdoor garden and staff full of knowledge and ready to help any customers.
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But it has now been forced to close due to bills skyrocketing.
Wild Leaf, in Bristol, first opened in 2017 and became popular with the locals in the area.
In a statement, Wild Leaf’s owner said: “I have poured my heart and soul into Wild Leaf over the last seven years.
“It’s been a labour of love that has brought much joy and many wonderful people into my life, but has also taken a toll on my health.
“Since summer 2023 sales have been declining and continue to do so.
“Unfortunately there is no sign of economic recovery on the horizon and I am unable to pay my bills.
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
“I am grateful for all our wonderful customers for supporting Wild Leaf, and my amazing staff whose dedication has helped me keep going.
“Please continue to shop local as much as possible. Business rates are going up next month for many businesses and they will need the community’s support to stay open.”
Locals have been left devastated by the news.
One customer said: “This is so sad. I remember coming in, and getting some of my longest living house plants from you.
Another local business, Oddsox Shoes, said: “So sad to hear this. You created a wonderful shop much loved by our community.
“It’s so hard to be an independent shop competing with chains & online stores.
“Wishing you the best for the future.”
The shop is due to have a closing down sale starting tomorrow, (Tuesday, March 18), until everything is sold out.
Offers are expected to include 50% off all plants and bonsai trees, 30% off plats, 30% off plant care, 30% off compost and 20% off terrariums and DIY kits.
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