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Oct 2023

Last Updated: 09/10/2023

Business

Ripon's Blue Cross charity shop closes today

by Tim Flanagan

| 06 Oct, 2023

ripon-5th-oct-2023-blue-cross-charity-shop-closing

An animal welfare charity is closing its Ripon shop today (Friday) due to declining trade.

This proved the tipping point for the Blue Cross shop, which has operated for five years from a large corner unit in The Arcade.

All remaining stock is being sold off for £2 or less, ahead of this afternoon's closure..

David Palmer, Blue Cross head of retail operations, told the Stray Ferret:

“We were coming up to the end of our lease and after considerable thought we have sadly taken the difficult decision to close our shop in Ripon due to a decrease in the levels of trade and low profitability.

“We’d like to thank the staff and volunteers for all their hard work in the shop and pass on our thanks to everyone in Ripon who has supported Blue Cross over the five years.

He added:

“We are constantly looking at all of our 55 shops across the country to ensure we’re raising as many funds as possible for the thousands of sick, injured and homeless pets we help every year.

"We have shops in Northallerton and Thirsk where we would be delighted to receive donations and people can also support our charity by volunteering with us.”

In July, Caffe Tempo, which had traded for six years in the unit neighbouring the Blue Cross shop, closed because of spiralling ingredient and overhead costs, that wiped out its profitability.

The former Caffe Tempo and two further units in The Arcade remain vacant.

Spiralling costs spell the end for Caffe Tempo

YMCA says Ripon Charity Shop will re-open

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Ripon's Blue Cross charity shop closes today

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