Five jobs lost as Telford outdoor equipment shop to close
One of Shropshire's few independent outdoor equipment shops is to close – with the owner partially blaming the decision on banks' refusal to lend money.
All Terrain, based at Telford Shopping Centre, will shut on Saturday for the last time, owner Mark Tarran said. He cited "adverse trading conditions, an unwillingness on behalf of the banks to help a small business and poor health" for his decision.
The shop, which employs five people, opened in 2010 and Mr Tarran said he would not be opening another shop without a financial partner. The father-of-two said: "We had a very mild winter, which affected the amount we made and the amount we had left to buy more stock.
"Reduced stock in summer meant we could not bring in a lot of autumn stock, so rather than go into a new season with reduced stock we decided to call it a dayand now is the time to go. I cannot say how grateful I am to the vast majority of the Telford outdoor population."
He said the banks had been "useless" as he had struggled to secure a loan for his business. "I am gutted and very sad, I am going to miss the guys I work with and miss our regulars," he added.
Everything at the shop has been reduced to clear. The 35-year-old said he would take some time off and "be a house husband for a little bit", spending more time with children Quinn, five, and Sebastian, 11 months.
The closure leaves just two independent outdoor shops in Shropshire – Outdoor Depot in Church Stretton and High Sports in Shrewsbury.
