The owner of one of Perth’s independent retail shops says locals “have some responsibility for this” after she announced her business will close in weeks, just months after celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
Bertie Browns, on the city’s South Street, sells jewellery and gifts but has been forced to close its doors on June 27 due to a “lack of footfall”.
Owner Jane Atkinson said the decision made her feel “sick”, but said it has been coming for a while.
“This decision has been on the cards for a while it’s mainly down to a lack of footfall,” she said.“We have lots of loyal customers, but the people of Perth have some responsibility for this.
“It’s galling to see so many people in the shop just now when we’re having a closing-down sale.”She added: “We celebrated our 10-year anniversary in March, but there have been so many changes in retail since we opened here.
“This is a huge wrench to me to make the decision to close the shop, and it means the loss of five jobs to the girls who work here. It’s made me feel sick having to do this.
“I also run Pandora in the High Street, but that is a completely different kettle of fish in terms of footfall.”
Bertie Browns fell out of favour with Perth and Kinross Council in 2010 when council chiefs objected to Mrs Atkinson’s plan to retain the bright pink faade of the shop.
An online campaign was established to save the shop front after a Scottish Government reporter dismissed an appeal against the council’s refusal of retrospective planning and listed building consent, stating the paintwork was contrary to the local plan.
However, the local authority then allowed Mrs Atkinson to keep the pink frontage following a decision in January 2011.
Bertie Browns opened in 2005 when the shop was located on Scott Street.