A shop is pulling out of York Station, citing the reduced footfall caused by train strikes and changed commuter patterns.
The York Gin shop opened in a unit close to the station entrance in November 2021.
The award-winning team were invited to open a shop there by LNER as part of a programme to make their railway stations feel more individual.
As well as stocking all the company’s popular gins, the store sells a range of branded gift packs as well as local products like beers from Ainsty Ales and Another Beer Company and marmalade from Bessie’s Yorkshire Preserves.
The shop operated on a rolling short term contract. It is looking to pull out of the station in the near future.
However, the York Gin team are hoping to find a second York city centre premises instead – to complement its shop on Pavement, which is “doing brilliantly”.
York Gin director Natalie Hall told YorkMix: “The shops have always been fine and trading. However, we’re actively looking to move our second shop from the station to a more central location in town.
“Ongoing train strikes and more people working from home after Covid have had an impact on trade there.
“While we’ve enjoyed having the shop in the station, it’s time for us to move on from there and give another business a chance.
“We don’t have a timescale yet and will work with LNER to ensure a smooth handover.
“Our landmark shop on Pavement is doing brilliantly – having just won Best Retailer at the Visit York Tourism Awards 2023.
“And it’s in the final for Best High Street Business at the YorkMix Choice Awards this week. So we’re doing something right!”
When the shop opened, the company said it was creating five to six Living Wage jobs. It has no plans to lose any staff in the closure “as we have really popular tastings at Pavement which have created lots of opportunities” – and in fact the business is recruiting.
York Gin stressed that the station shop closure wasn’t connected to other recent changes to the business, including the decision to put on hold plans to create a distillery in the Coppergate Centre.
The lease for the station shop is available immediately. Rent for the 430 sq ft retail unit is in the region of £50K per year.