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National newspaper looking for small businesses & retailers who have considered closing in past year because of economy

ended 08. November 2025

Request from the Times:

Major national news title is doing a story on the pressures and issues facing small retailers - anything on the high street that does face to face trade. (Corner shops, cafes, beauty, hair, pubs, dry cleaners, etc).

They want to speak to businesses around the country that have considered QUITTING or SHUTTING in the past year because of the economy and or rising costs.

How has the new government impacted your business in terms of rising fees, increased wages/NI, etc.

Responses asap.

2 responses from the Newspage community

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Paul Potter-Young0
Co-Owner at Spiffy - The Happiness Shop
The past few years have been incredibly tough for us. We're an online retailer who used to have a high street shop, but after COVID, our local town just died, so we had to close the shop. We focused on online, selling feel-good gifts and mental health resources, and we just reached a point where we couldn't afford our warehouse either, so I now run the business all by myself, out of my home.

Closing is always on the back of my mind, as there's just constant obstacles. Even though we sell mental health resources, we fall under the 'gifting' umbrella, and people just don't have the money anymore. Energy bills have doubled, food is skyrocketing, and people just don't have spare cash to treat themselves or their friends, and it has a direct impact on people like me. You have to trim your margins, and offer more and more, just to earn the same amount of money. We're all being squeezed and this won't be sustainable forever.
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Natalie Ormond0
Owner at Smallkind
I own Smallkind, an online ethical gift shop. I opened in 2019 and the business was growing steadily but the last 2 years have been really tough. Costs have risen massively and orders are way down. People don’t have the money to spend like they used to. I considered closing earlier this year but decided to carry on for now and hope for a strong Christmas. I’m still considering the options and will reevaluate in the New Year. I need to know I’ve done everything I can before I close the doors.