Rising costs force food hall to shut

The owners of Stratton Food Hall say they have four weeks to find a new buyer

A food hall has closed its doors to the public, ending nearly 50 years of service.

The owner of Stratton Food Hall in Leighton Buzzard said rising costs had made the business, which is up for sale, unsustainable.

Managing partner Andrew Stanton said sales "weren't quite the same after Covid," and together with increasing bills and higher prices for quality local food, it "struggled to make profit" in recent years.

Mr Stanton added there had been interest in buying the butchery and deli but a deal had been secured. "If someone comes forward, the Stratton name could live on."

The shop, which began as H.G. Stratton Butchers in 1936, had been run by three generations of the Stanton family.

It evolved into a food hall offering pies, meats and street food, with Andrew Stanton beginning his own career there as a teenager.

Mr Stanton said the cost of quality local meat had risen by 40%, while electricity, gas, water and wages had all increased.

He said the business had also faced new regulations and infrastructure demands, including costly upgrades to fire safety and water systems.

"We just can't keep spending money on a business that isn't doing what it needs to do," he added.

Other independent traders, he said, were facing similar pressures.

"Everyone's up against it. The costs are rising, but the footfall isn't, it's not just us.

"Stratton is just one cog in a much bigger engine. If the cogs don't turn together, the wheels stop. That's what's happening to independent retail," he said.

Andrew Stanton said rising costs and falling sales made the business unsustainable

During the pandemic, Mr Stanton moved into the shop for several weeks to keep up with online orders after losing staff members due to shielding.

"I worked seven days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day," he said. "It led to a breakdown."

Reflecting on the future of the high street, Mr Stanton said: "We need flair and diversity. Chains are taking over and independent creativity is slowly dying."

Mr Stanton said the decision to close had been an emotional one.

"It was like breaking up with a girlfriend you loved."

He and his wife Rachel left the day-to-day running of the business last year and now work in education and food services.

"Me and Rachel get paid on the profit," he explained. "If there isn't a lot of profit then we don't get paid and subsequently we can't pay our bills."

Looking ahead, Mr Stanton said the shop remains equipped and available for sale. "We've got four weeks to find a buyer," he said. "There's interest, but nothing confirmed."