FANS cried “what will I do without you” as they waved goodbye to a “beautiful” seaside shop.
In another crushing blow to the high street, a popular independent store is set to shutter their branch in Pembrokeshire.
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The Silver Lily, located in the picturesque town of Saundersfoot, drew in both locals and tourists with a range of clothes, jewellery and accessories.
But husband and wife owners Jilly and Trev have made the shocking announcement to close down.
The couple told devoted customers they wished to focus on family life, as well as another branch in Haverfordwest.
Jilly shared on social media: “Since we posted on Facebook about closing in Saundersfoot, we’ve had so many lovely messages.
“It’s been really heartwarming, and it’s made us quite emotional.”
She added: “I started The Silver Lily in Saundersfoot about 13 years ago more or less as a little hobby, but the business really took off and we opened up in Haverfordwest five years ago and then in Tenby.
“It ‘s been a lot of hard work, but I’ve loved it and I suppose we’ve been the victim of our own success.
“Closing Saundersfoot will be heartwrenching, but it may be give us a bit of scope to slow down and focus on life, and family and having time for people.”
One disappointed customer penned: “So sorry to hear this. You have a beautiful shop and have always been my ‘go to’ for the most lovely silver jewellery.”
Another added: ” Oh no, what am I going to do without you!”
Fans have been urged to continue shopping at their other two sites.
The Saundersfoot will officially shut down on the first weekend of May.
This comes as a beloved high street vintage store has shut down permanently just a few years after opening.
The retailer, in Bristol, waved goodbye to devastated customers on Tuesday.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
BS8 Vintage now sits empty after a huge closing down sale which saw all items on the shelf for under a tenner.
Elsewhere, a huge shopping centre announced it will shut “indefinitely” – as more than 30 store owners saw their tenancies scrapped overnight.
The Square Shopping Centre in Birmingham‘s Priory Square has been temporarily closed following a fire risk assessment last week.
In a crushing blow, it was officially announced the centre, which houses everything from retail giants to pubs, would be shuttered “indefinitely”.
And, disappointed shoppers are waving goodbye to a beloved boutique closing after 22 years.
Family-run Little N’s Baby Boutique sadly announced they will be shuttering their site in Dartford, Kent, in just days.
HIGH STREET STRUGGLES
It comes as other retailers, both independent and industry giants, continue to struggle.
Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets.
Just a few months in to 2025 and it’s already proving to be another tough year for many major brands.
Rising living costs – which mean shoppers have less cash to burn – and an increase in online shopping has battered retail in recent years.
Just this week former staple of the high street Quiz crashed into administration with the immediate closure of 23 stores.
New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes.
Approximately a quarter of the retailer’s 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.
This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look’s 8,000-strong workforce.
It’s understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.
The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is expected to hit retailers hard – and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.
Meanwhile, the WHSmith brand name looks set to vanish from British high streets after 230 years.
In a fresh update, Boots UK also told The Sun that 253 stores have now shut as part of cost-cutting plans.
Meanwhile, Homebase launched a big closing down sale amid 37 closures last month.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”