Shop Service Charges Doubled
Having received notice of large increases in service charges a number of private shopkeepers in the Town Centre have come to the end of their tether and are being forced to close!
Jim Parkin, of Homeplan, has taken a survey of shops and finds everyone is struggling already without the addition of a further increase in overheads.
The Elachi Indian Restaurant have been told the service charge which covers administration and maintenance has been quadrupled. This, on top of high rents, means they might not continue to trade.
Other shops including Stephen Russel the hairdressers face increases of 85% in times when they are barely able to survive. He and other shopkeeprs do not understand the charges and why and for what they are being imposed. All believe they pay far too much for what services they receive and to pay more is unreasonable and unaffordable.
McMahons will be closing, Bon Marche not sure how much longer they can survive. The Baby Shop is moving onto the Business Park. Cafe Pronto who have just moved into new premises are worried. Boola Dress Shop feels he has to close through excessive charges. China Garden cannot afford to pay any extra.
The list goes on, with each shop complaining bitterly over the new charges when they have lost so much trade over the last few months while the town centre has been refurbished.
It appears the Landlords now want the money they invested in their own property, to be paid for by the tenants through extra service charges.
Jim Parkin is hoping to get all the traders to a meeting to plan a protest in an effort to put a stop to the extra charge before it causes a mass closure of shops.in Newton Aycliffe.
