Popular Scottish charity shop to shut due to 'rising costs' after running for more than 30 years

Strathcarron Hospice bosses have announced the shop in Denny’s Stirling Street, where the organisation’s retail empire began, will close next month.

Initially run by the volunteer group Friends of Strathcarron, the charity shop was taken over by the hospice as its first venture into retail, opening on October 10, 1991.

For more than 33 years, the Denny shop helped to not only promote the local hospice, but has also been a safe, warm and welcoming space for people to meet and shop. The shop also provided much-needed income for the hospice from the sale of pre-loved goods.

But now Strathcarron has cited “rising costs” as the reason to close the outlet and said they were looking for alternative premises in the local area. The shop will close its doors for the last time on Saturday, December 20.

The hospice team has said there are plans to open a pop-up shop within Strathcarron Hospice building, open to the public from January. More details will be announced shortly.

Mags McCarthy, Strathcarron Hospice chief executive, said: “It was a difficult decision to close our beloved Denny shop, but the rising costs to run, update and heat the premises was starting to outweigh the profits. We had to make a business decision, for the benefit of Strathcarron and the communities we serve, to close the shop. The Denny shop is now ‘coming home’ to the hospice.

“As we search for new premises, we will open up a new ‘pop up’ retail shop within our hospice building. This will encourage visitors to enjoy this local shopping experience, with all profits going directly back into the running of our hospice services.

“We are incredibly grateful to all our dedicated volunteers and the people of Denny who have supported the shop over these years. This is a local community who are incredibly active in supporting their local hospice.

“I am continually impressed by the level of commitment, hard work and dedication of our amazing volunteers, and they will be continuing to support by volunteering at the new pop up shop and across our other local charity shops. They all look forward to seeing you soon."

With 12 charity store premises across Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, the outlets in Bonnybridge and Stenhousemuir will be the closest for the people of Denny to drop off donations.

A spokesperson said: “Our Strathcarron shops are vital in fundraising for the hospice. By donating and shopping at Strathcarron charity shops, over the last year the local community has helped raise approximately £500,000 [including Gift Aid] for their local hospice.

“There is incredible work being done in charity retail and this funding goes directly into the hospice to make sure everyone can benefit from the very best end-of-life care. Our charity shops are also important for the local communities we serve, providing volunteering opportunities, training in retail skills, tackling loneliness and isolation and fostering a sense of community.”