The boss of a family-run shop in Carlton has announced a new venture, saying the current business model is no longer viable. Bubblelush Divine Gifts, in Carlton Hill, sells Yankee Candles, figurines and collectables.
It also sells carpets in the shop - and this is the direction staff are intending to prioritise. Andrew Morley, co-owner of the shop, now intends to specialise solely in selling carpets and flooring.
Mr Morley, who has 40 years' experience in selling carpets and flooring, said: “We’re closing the candle and gift side down and going back to carpets and flooring, we’re still going to be here [on Carlton Hill] but selling gifts is no longer viable.
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“Gifts and figurines are luxury items and, when it comes to customers choosing between that or food and electricity, I know which one I’d choose.”
Mr Morley, whose shop has run for 11 years, added: “It’s just the way of the world right now. It’s awful, I’d say a lot of other shops will be looking at their business for the next six-12 months and thinking ‘is it viable?’”
On the reasons for the change, he said: "A large Yankee Candle is £29.99, now we sell them for around £16.99 but I, as running this shop, wouldn’t pay £29.99; it’s a sign of the time - we’ve had a good run [with Bubblelush.]
“Carpets are touchy feely products and you want to feel them, you need to come in store to see if you’ll like it or not then, there’s the measuring up of the carpet and there isn’t another shop like that in Carlton.
“I have no idea how village pubs and takeaways have been surviving with the high costs. We don’t want to make a fortune, we just want a reasonable standard of living but now, when you come in store you can get a bargain on all the gifts we’re trying to sell.”
In a post on Facebook, staff at the shop wrote: “Some of you may have seen the posters in our windows if you have passed. If not, then after 12 years of Bubblelush (nearly 11 years here on Carlton Hill) it’s time to say goodbye.”
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The past three years have been incredibly tough on many industries, particularly in retail, hospitality and leisure.
“Following the direct impact of Covid-19 restrictions that forced shops to close and accelerated pre-existing trends towards online shopping, we have witnessed a cost-of-doing-business crisis take a grip over the past year or so due to a combination of global and local headwinds.
“Chamber research has shone a light on the tightening economic situation, with cashflow worsening, sales stagnating and investment intentions declining in some sectors.
“In our latest Quarterly Economic Survey at the end of 2022, half of Nottinghamshire businesses told us they expect they will be forced to raise their own prices over the following three months, having cited cost pressures in employment, energy, fuel and raw materials.
“While inflation appears to have peaked and is very slowly easing, we shouldn’t lose sight it remains at a near 40-year high.
“And although we often concentrate on the Consumer Pries Index when speaking about inflation, at 10.1% this is significantly below the Producer Price Index inflation at 14.1% – indicating how firms continue to swallow increased costs rather than pass them on to customers as far as possible.
“This is clearly unsustainable for many businesses and will lead to incredibly difficult decisions being taken.
“While we know our region has demonstrated its resilience in the face of escalating challenges during a difficult period, it’s imperative the Chancellor uses the upcoming Spring Budget to ‘get the basics right’, as we have outlined in our regional Business Manifesto for Growth, A Centre of Trading Excellence, by cultivating a wider business ecosystem geared around supporting success.
“This should focus on incentives to invest in people, support certainty for firms by developing a long-term approach to business taxation and regulation, and ensure businesses and communities are digitally and physically connected locally and with the wider world.”
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