Popular York shop to close – despite ‘being very profitable’

Stonegate shop Crabtree & Evelyn is set to close and its staff made redundant.

A notice has appeared on the window of the Stonegate store saying ‘Thank you and goodbye’. It is due to close on February 28.

It says:

• Despite this store having another very profitable year in 2018 unfortunately the business has taken the decision not to renew the lease on this building.

  Therefore this store will close on 28.02.18.

  As a store we would like to thank all our very loyal customers who have contributed to our success and supported this brand since 1972.
  

The notice asks disappointed customers to direct feedback to head office “as opposed to the store team who are now in the position of being made redundant”.

High Street campaigner

The manager of Crabtree & Evelyn in York, Stephanie Green, has been a high profile campaigner for retail in the city.

She organised Love Yor-k High Street designed to celebrate the wonderful York shopping experience – and to urge the government to help by reforming business rates.

A special day, backed by the York BID, included a Minster FM roadshow in King’s Square, and lots of shops offering one-off discounts.

As a result of that campaign, a petition demanding business rates reform gathered nearly 2,000 signatures which Stef passed on to York Central MP to deliter to Parliament.

Stef welcomed a government decision to cut business rates but said more was needed because “high streets need as much help as we can get”.