A charity shop which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Martlets Hospice is to close in the next few weeks as its owners, Taj, pursue new plans for it.
The shop, which sold second hand furniture as well as clothes, books and bric a brac, will be holding a closing down sale over the coming weeks to clear the stock.
No planning application for the unit has been submitted and the owners of Taj, whose main store is next door, did not respond to several requests from Brighton and Hove News for more information.
Sally Brighton, Martlet’s director of income generation said: “We are incredibly grateful to have had so many successful years trading at our Western Road shop thanks to the generosity of the local business Taj.
“We wish them every success with their business expansion and will be looking for alternative premises in the coming months. Our other Martlets shops remain unaffected by this and are still open for business as usual.
“I would also like to thank all the staff and volunteers who have worked hard to make Western Road shop a huge success for Martlets. The shop has traded phenomenally well thanks to all of their hard work.”
Meanwhile, one of the hospice’s Snowdogs has found a new home in a Hove family’s garden. Winterlily, who stood guarding Egremont Gate at the entrance to Queen’s Park, is now nestled under a tree with two real dogs for company.
Her new owner, Claudia, said: “Lily now lives in our back garden, she has some tree shelter from the rain in winter months and catches the first rays of sun to shine in our garden. She looks into the house and our kitchen living area, she instantly felt as though she’d always been there.
“The sea is at the bottom of our road so she has lovely sea air to enjoy, and the company of our two puggles who did bark at her at first but soon accepted she was bigger than them and the new top dog.
“We believe she was meant to be with us, our children and two pet dogs in Hove. We LOVE Lily.”
I do hope it isn’t another coffee shop!
It’s my understanding that Taj just want to expand their current store across the whole space.
I really think more should be made of the fact that they donated the space to Martlets for so long. Whether they would get any benefits from doing so or not I’d have no idea, but either way its pretty amazing that they’d do that for several years to help a local charity.
There is a cheering Snowdog in the Sanctuary room at the Martlets. Made me smile, which is his job!