Burnham-On-Sea’s last remaining High Street butcher’s shop looks set to close later this year.
‘Shop To Let’ boards have been erected outside Palmers this week and shop manager Mike Gould (pictured below) confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com that competition from local supermarkets has proved too much for butcher.
“Competition from Morrisons, other local supermarkets and Burnham’s regular farmers markets have meant our trade has declined in recent years,” said Mr Gould.
“We face growing costs, with high business rates and overheads, that make it very difficult for shops like us to make ends meet.”
Palmers opened on Burnham High Street in 1981 and originally thrived for many years, but Mr Gould says changing shopping patterns have not helped.
“Shoppers don’t spend time choosing the best products by buying their groceries from different specialist shops like they used to.”
“They go for the convenience of buying everything in one go at a supermarket, which means small independent shops are suffering.”
Mr Gould added that the lease of the High Street store “is under negotiation” but that he “fully intends” to close the shop later in the year.
