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03
Sept
Harrogate Lush store closes ‘in solidarity’ with Gaza
Cosmetics giant Lush shut its Harrogate store for one day today (September 3) as part of a nationwide stand ‘in solidarity’ with Gaza.
The company, which has a shop on Cambridge Street, issued a statement about the “anguish” the company feels when faced with images of “starving people in Gaza, Palestine”.
“Like the rest of the world, we struggle to find ways we can help whilst the Israeli government is preventing urgent humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza”, Lush said.
The company halted all operations today, a move that included shutting all UK stores, factories and its website, in what it described as an act of solidarity.
When the Stray Ferret visited the Harrogate store today, a poster reading “Stop Starving Gaza – We Are Closed In Solidarity” was displayed in the window. The same message appeared on the Lush website.
The company added:
Whilst Lush is losing a day of takings, this also means that the UK government is losing a day of tax contributions from Lush and our customers. We hope they too hear the message our closure sends, with more government action needed to bring an immediate stop to the death and destruction, including an end to arms sales from the UK.
Lush, known for its scented bath bombs and shower products, apologised to customers for any inconvenience and said the decision to shut down operations had not been an easy one to make.
However, the company said many of its customers “share anxiety about the current situation in Gaza”, adding its Gaza ‘watermelon slice’ fundraising soap has been the most successful individual fundraising product in Lush’s history.
Lush added:
[This indicates] how strongly our customers feel, and we are grateful to have been able to raise funds towards child mental health support in Palestine. We now plan to make this soap available again, with the funds going to medical services, including charities that are gearing up to provide prosthetic limb services to adults and children in Gaza.
Founded in the UK, Lush was launched in 1995 and now operates in more than 50 countries.
In a statement on August 27, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "enabling a steady flow of aid in sufficient quantities".
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