A shoe shop that is closing down after 60 years of business has blamed Labour’s budget as it battled soaring bills.
The family-owned A.G. Meek is shutting its branch on Eastgate Street in Gloucester today, meaning it will only have four branches left which are all in Wales.
A spokesperson said the closure of one of its longest standing branches is due to the upcoming employer National Insurance Contributions, a decrease in business rate relief and lower footfall.
This month the rate of National Insurance that employers must pay climbed from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent.
While the discount for retailers will fall from 75 per cent to 40 per cent.
In a post on Facebook, Mr Meek said: ‘I am very sad to tell you that we are closing our shoe shop after 60 years trading in Gloucester City Centre.
‘We have been struggling with rapidly rising costs and reduced footfall since the pandemic and the shop has not been covering its costs.
‘I have held off hoping things would improve, but the recent budget is a disaster for small businesses employing lots of part time staff like ours.
The family-owned A.G. Meek is shutting its branch on Eastgate Street in Gloucester (above) today after 60 years, meaning it will only have four branches left which are all in Wales
It also announced the closure of its founding shop on Albany Road in Cardiff, which is set to shut down in mid June. Above, the shop pictured in 1912
‘Our National Insurance on one shop and our business rates are increasing by £5,000 a year each from April and this is unsustainable.
‘Bigger retailers are complaining about the increase but they have the option of putting in more self checkouts and increasing their prices a little. Amazon can put a few pence on the price of each product.’
The chain launched a closing down sale, with discounts available in the shop as well as a £10 voucher.
More recently it announced the closure of its founding shop on Albany Road in Cardiff, which is set to shut down in mid June.
It has been given notice to leave when its lease expires in May this year – which would bring an end to over 100 years of trading on the street.
Planning permission is being sought to demolish the store and redevelop the site as a convenience store, with three flats above it.
The post said it was ‘really difficult to come to this decision’, but that they need to focus on the shops with the highest turn over like their St David’s Centre Shop in Cardiff City Centre and their newest shop in Cwmbran Centre.
A.G. Meek opened his first shoe shop in Cardiff in 1912, with the business being open for more than an impressive 108 years.
His two son’s made the shop famous in the 1950’s for selling glamorous ‘Meek’s Sets’, which were matching Shoes, Bag and Gloves.
The family business even was one of the first adverts on ITV with its jingle: ‘The matching is unique at AG Meek.’
