A charitable furniture business in Highbridge which was once praised as ‘a great example of localism and community spirit in action’ is to shut down in May, it has been announced this week.
Highbridge Furniture Limited’s Tina Gray and Kim Chatwin, pictured right, told Burnham-On-Sea.com that the business has become financially “unsustainable” and they have been left with the decision of having to cease trading in May.
A group of volunteers launched the service in November 2012 to help people in Highbridge on low incomes to purchase second-hand furniture while also putting funding back into the community.
While the organisation has been used by many residents, it has struggled to secure enough income. Tina said: “It is with great sadness that HFL has had to accept that without major funding and more support locally the business has become unsustainable.”
“We have taken the decision to cease trading at 4pm on Thursday 8th May 2014. We would like to thank all our volunteers, both past and present, without whom we couldn’t have lasted so long.”
“We would also like to thank all our supporters and followers over this period. It will be business as usual until then.”
We first reported here last year that the organisation’s future had been put in jeopardy by Sedgemoor District Council’s decision not to give it business rates tax relief, putting a strain on its already stretched finances.
The group won praise last year when it received a Mayor’s Community Award from former Burnham and Highbridge Mayor Ken Smout (pictured at the top of this page).
He praised the group’s work and enthusiasm, saying the shop was a “great example of localism and community spirit in action”.
The new shop was being run as a Community Interest Company and had hoped to seek charitable status in the future.
