Staff in tears as 'much-loved' community shop rocked by £25k rent bill

Despite being able to pay an increased rent, the firm was told they'd have to foot a remaining £20k in just a matter of weeks.

Transcript

00:00Strude Community Shop has been helping people who struggle to afford clothes, toys and other

00:04items since 2012, all while raising money for good causes.

00:09But when their landlord, Bampton Property, chose to increase their rent but backdate

00:12the change to 2019, it left the shop with £23,000 of rent arrears to pay.

00:19Although they managed to pay the increased rent earlier this week, they were served papers

00:22telling them they had to clear the remaining £20,000 in 21 days.

00:27Unable to do that, they decided they'd have to close up shop.

00:57They're like a family to me.

01:05Those are the words of just one volunteer here at the Strude Community Shop, which is

01:09closing its doors for the very last time.

01:11The shop also helps support those with learning disabilities, giving them jobs to do so that

01:16they become more employable.

01:17I've been helping at the Cuneal shop since March 2023 and they're lovely in here and

01:25it's been like a family to me because I've got autism and they've really treated me

01:30well and I really appreciate what they've, they've really helped me on my way and they're

01:35brilliant and plus it's difficult being autistic but you know, but you know, but it really

01:43has helped.

01:44I mean I was, I was really scared when I came here.

01:46It's not only the staff that the store helps, having run baby banks, school uniform banks

01:50and raising funds for charity, meaning its closure could hurt the community, especially

01:55during the cost of living crisis.

01:57I'm not an expert in the kind of legal commercial rent, but that does seem somewhat excessive

02:03for what is a much loved charity shop in Medway.

02:07We contacted the Freshwater Group, the parent company of Bampton Property for a statement,

02:11but they did not get back to us.

02:14The shop may be running discounts on their items, but many will feel that there's no

02:17way to reduce the loss for the community.

02:20Finn McDermott for CAME-TV in Strood.