Notices in the shop windows of 86 High Street advertise the impending closure of Rye Shoes. Since January 2017, the business has been run by Neill and Colette Harrold who moved to Rye from South East London. Three years on however and they have decided to call it a day.
I spoke with Neil in his shop and he told me: “It’s not just the Covid-19 lockdown effect – it’s also the three high street bank closures which have impacted our business.” And the fire at The George hotel is another factor leading to unprofitable trading conditions.
Was he hoping to sell the business? “No hope of that”, he said, but a new tenant (not yet publicly identified) has been found already to take over the premises from September 30, when their lease runs out. Neil and Colette in their short time of ownership had established a customer-friendly business, but had not enjoyed the support of Rye residents as much as they had hoped, said Neil.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .
september 31st not in a million years!
proof reading a doddle !