A POPULAR furniture store is set to close its doors for a heartbreaking reason.
From painting in her front room to owning “the most beautiful shop” on the high street, Bronagh Hughes, 57, explained why her dream must come to an end.
Vintage Co, in business for eight years on Baldock High Street in Hertfordshire, will close for good on February 28.
Hughes explained that Baldock’s decline in business as retailers gradually moved away is partly to blame.
This, along with a recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease has forced Bronagh to make an “awful decision”, The Comet reports.
She said: “I have reached the point where I simply cannot make it work.”
However, Bronagh hopes to continue her business via social media for small projects only.
She said: “It was a dream of mine 30+ years ago to have a shop on the High Street and from where I stand I feel I have achieved everything I set out to do.”
In a Facebook post, Bronagh revealed all.
She said: “Okay, hard post coming up.
“From my humble beginnings 12 years ago at the Vintage Barn in Knebworth, I built up Vintage Co.
“I’ve gone from painting in my front room to having the most beautiful shop on Baldock High Street.
“Sadly over the years business has slowed down, and I have reached the point where I simply cannot make it work.
“Health issues have added to the decision I have taken, and as of 28 February Vintage Co will no longer be on the High Street.
“I will continue with the social media and will carry on with smaller things, lampshades will still be available to order, and I’m hoping that I will be able to carry on albeit on a much smaller scale.
“It was a dream of mine 30+ years ago to have a shop on the High Street and from where I stand I feel I have achieved everything I set out to do.
“I have met some lovely people and have made some beautiful friends, @emmafletcherjewellery being the main one, she deserves a medal that girl.
“She will still be at the end of the phone for any jewellery requirements you might have.
“Sorry for the long-winded post, there is so much I’d like to say, but for now, thank you to everyone that has supported me for my 8 years in Baldock, I couldn’t have done it without you xx”
Supportive comments from fans have flooded in.
One said: “Ah Bronagh’s I’m very sad to hear this, your shop is such a beautiful sight to see on our high street you should be so very proud of yourself for all you have done and achieved.
“Wishing you all the best for all you do in the future I hope to see you soon.”
While a second wrote: “Gutted for you mate, you’ve definitely grafted over the years and ultimately achieved your goal with the most unique shop in the High Street….Hats off to you.”
And a third said: “Sorry to hear this and lose another lovely trader from the high street. You will be missed.
They added: “I know how tough it can be. Please do leave some leaflets in our shop if you want or anything we can do to help in the future.
“Good luck hope to see you around.”
To which Bronagh replied: “It’s been a hard decision and I’m truly heartbroken but I have given it all I have.”
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
