18/09/2026
The Free Press are asking for opinions, here’s our honest take 😬
Our business has been trading in Ruthin for eight years and, sadly, we’re becoming almost resigned to the fact that we probably won’t still be here next year.
Our takings in August were down by more than half compared with August last year, and we were already finding things difficult then because of changing shopping habits and the cost of living. Some days recently we have taken less than £50, with Saturdays, traditionally one of our most important trading days, being particularly badly affected.
We fought our way through Covid and the cost of living crisis, but there was at least some financial support available during those periods. This time there is nothing, while we continue to pay business rates despite such a significant loss of trade.
From Monday the work moves directly outside our windows, bringing further restricted access. We are also heading into the most important trading period of the year, yet there is little point investing time and money in Christmas window displays when they will effectively be hidden behind the works.
We are absolutely not against improving the town. We can see that the square will look lovely when it is finished. The difficulty is that we genuinely don’t think we will still be trading by the time businesses are able to benefit from it.
There are four people working in our shop, so if we are forced to close it is not just the loss of another independent business from the square, it is four people losing their employment too.
There are already very few shops left on the square. It would be incredibly sad if, once the work is complete, there were even fewer businesses left to enjoy it.
