Birmingham's independent shops left fighting for survival
Apr 13 2009 by Emma McKinney, Birmingham Post
A shopkeeper who fears her business is on the brink of collapse has launched a group on a social networking website in a bid to help Birmingham’s independent shops survive the recession.
Helen Hulston, owner of Helen Hulston Jewellery in the city centre’s Great Western Arcade, has launched the group for small Birmingham businesses on Facebook to encourage them to talk to each other and find ways of working together to drum up more trade.
Ms Hulston, who represents independent stores on the board of Retail Birmingham, an organisation set up to promote the city’s 1,000 shops, says she is facing the grim prospect of closing her business. She had to remortgage her home to open the shop five years ago, but last night admitted she does not take a salary and has to sell more than £120,000 worth of products a year just to break even.
And with the once credit-pedalling banks now reluctant to hand over cash, Ms Hulston has had her business overdraft withdrawn and her cashflow has dried up. Now the lease on her shop is about to expire, and she’s agonising over her next move.
“I’ve basically got three choices,” she said. “I either sign a new lease and stay in the Arcade and ride out the storm, or I relocate the firm, or throw in the towel altogether. I know I will never make the money I borrowed against my house to set the business up in the first place, but that’s the risk you have to take and I’m glad I did it rather than never had a stab at my dream.”
Helen Hulston Jewellery is not the only shop to be suffering. Birmingham city centre boasts more than 100 independent stores, which has helped the city to be officially ranked as the best shopping destination in the UK outside of London.
Yet many are finding themselves on the brink of closure and at least half a dozen of the units in Great Western Arcade are boarded up, waiting for new retailers.
“I think this is a fantastic Arcade, and the landlords are doing what they can to try and attract retailers in,” added Ms Hulston. “They’re currently revamping, but we have so many people come into the shop who say they never knew the Arcade was here.
“It’s never an easy time to start your own business, but now is even more difficult, and I can’t see the Arcade attracting more independent stores in.
“It’s such a crying shame because this place has so much to offer already and so much potential.
“The fact it’s mainly independent shops here means it’s unique, it really is a great place to shop and we would really urge people to come and support us.
“I think the government really needs to be doing more to help small retailers, they need to offer rates relief and they need to encourage those who have money to keep spending, it’s the only way the economy is going to recover.”
Nigel Godfrey, business manager at Retail Birmingham, backed Ms Hulston’s appeal.
“There’s lots of hidden gems in Birmingham, with independents offering clothing, jewellery, accessories and even handmade chocolates,” he said. “The independent stores are part of the city’s appeal and it’s vital that people support them.”
For information on the Facebook site, email Helen Hulston at jewellery@helenhulston.co.uk.
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