A shop in Mumbles will close due to construction, parking costs, and evolving shopping habits, highlighting local business struggles.
Helen Bowden owns Solo by Helen. It’s on Mumbles Road. She will close it in May. She took over from Lynne Kettles two years ago, after Lynne ran it for decades.
Helen wants to help her husband. Together, they hope for an early joint retirement. Road work also caused problems, because gas and construction made things tricky.
Helen is 58. She said things are difficult because gas work lasted months outside. Seawall work also impacted them and parking costs went up too much. One customer won’t park if she can’t find a free space.
She used to pay £6.40 to park across the street. It’s now £14 since a company took over. She asked about business rates, but they did not care about it.
She feels like she is always battling. Shopping habits are also evolving. She wants to assist her husband’s work and feels now is the right time to step away from the store.
Businesses in Mumbles find things hard. Road work led to queues, which reduced how long people shopped. Some days, only a few people came in, but weekends were much busier by comparison.
The business is not failing and does okay, but she tires of battling. She launched an online store, which helped somewhat, but there are challenges. She mentioned Vinted and cheap fashion.
She loved her venture starting the business. The previous owner is also a friend. She feels bittersweet with her coming departure. They did charity work too. People say they understand her choice to close.
Swansea Council commented on the situation. They said local shops are crucial and know the cost of living hurts them. Online retail giants are a problem. The council has helped Swansea businesses.
They invested millions in support. The sea defenses project will help Mumbles, protecting homes and local events. These improvements should help tourism. The council offers seasonal parking discounts, and these rates beat private parking.