A ‘struggling’ charity shop was forced to close last week as make or break discussions took place.
A notice was displayed in the window of the Save the Children store in Harpur Street, Bedford, after it shut its doors last Saturday stating it was due to a ‘lack of volunteers’.
But regional manager Adrian Hebbert explained there were also other reasons. He said the shop wasn’t making the money that it needed to and was £300 down a week on where it should be.
He added: “We wanted to spend the week having a look at our procedures in the shop and look at what help we can give to volunteers.
We also need extra stock and so need to evaluate how we are working with the community.” Mr Hebbert said there were currently around 20 helpers and that the manager of the shop was also an unpaid volunteer.
The shop is reopening tomorrow and Mr Hebbert said he hoped what they achieved this week ‘turns things around’ as the lease is coming to an end in April so a decision has to be made about whether they stay in the premises.
