Venue that celebrates local goods forced to close

Cato Cooper has to close her business after nine years

A venue that hosts local traders under one roof has to close due to a decrease in footfall during the cost of living squeeze.

The Emporium, in Wellington, rents spaces to 75 local traders and craftspeople in one combined shop.

Owner Cato Cooper said she has seen a decline in footfall since the end of the pandemic, which has meant a decrease in sales.

"It's very sad. I feel that we've had nine very good years, we survived Covid, we've survived all sorts of things, so you'd think we'd still be going," Ms Cooper said.

The emporium hosts 75 local traders

She started the business together with her husband nine years ago.

"When this space became available I thought: 'This looks like a challenge, I want to take this'," Ms Cooper said.

"Because we were already local makers, we wanted to support local makers, I knew how hard it was to run your own little High Street shop."

They divided the 5,000sq/ft building into 100 units for traders to rent.

After nine years, they announced they would have to shut the shop.

"We feel times are a bit different at the moment, I think people are feeling the pinch a little bit," Ms Cooper said.

Local makers can display their products and Ms Cooper and her team sell them

"I owe it to my traders for all of them to do well and at the moment I don't really think they all get a chance to do well. It's time to close the doors," Ms Cooper added.

"However, all the other traders still have their own business and will keep going, it's only my physical shop that is closing."

A social media post got a lot of people commenting that they will miss the Emporium.

One customer told BBC Somerset: "It's sad for the community. It's such a diverse shop you can get all sorts of stuff here."

"I didn't expect that kind of reaction," Ms Cooper said. "It's really special and amazing. It just shows that people care."

Ms Moore said she would like to see more businesses like the Emporium

Lin Moore, a candlemaker who runs Beachhouse Botanics, has been a trader at the Emporium for five years.

She said: "Things have been extremely hard since Covid, so to be seen with lots of other small businesses has been amazing for my business. It's really sad. It's been a great platfrom for all of us."

Ms Cooper added: "I'll have to go get a job, but first we will just focus on June in the shop because we still have a whole month of trading to do. Come say goodbye and give me a hug."