Volunteers have been left in tears by the shock closure of a popular charity shop in a UK town after it faced a 60% hike in rent. The Dogs Trust branch in Tovil, Maidstone, will shut on Friday, May 9, after 10 years serving the Kent town. The charity said the site’s rent had risen from around £20,000 to £32,000, making the prospect of continuing to operate “unsustainable”.
Locals described the closure as a significant loss to the community, with the branch on Farleigh Hill running a dog food bank as well as selling donated furniture, clothing and household goods. Assistant manager Jenny told KentOnline: “It’s horrible, absolutely horrible. I think we’ve all cried. Even the volunteers who haven’t been here very long – they were very stunned.”
Branch manager Leslie added: “We’ve provided coats for the homeless, sleeping bags for the homeless [and] pants and socks for a special needs school. We’ve really been part of a community here.”
Luke, 27, who has volunteered at the shop for almost four years, said it had “transformed” his life.
“Since day one, I’ve been treated like family,” he said. “Everyone’s been really kind, helpful. I never used to go out of my house.
“It’s upsetting because I’ve learned so many skills. When this place closes, I’m not going to have the people that I knew to come back to.”
A spokesperson for the Dogs Trust said: “We’re very sad to announce that we will be closing our Maidstone charity shop in Kent, which is a decision that has not been taken lightly.
“Unfortunately, the store has recently been issued with a significant rent increase, which makes it no longer financially sustainable for us to continue operating the shop.”
They added: “We would like to thank our incredible staff and volunteers for their devoted service, and everyone in the local community for their amazing support, which has made the world of difference to dogs in our care.”