Welshpool has 'too many' charity shops

Councillors in Welshpool are urging the Government to act to stop large numbers of charity shops taking over town centre sites and affecting trade.

They fear the market town is becoming overrun with stores raising money for good causes and trade is being affected as shoppers go elsewhere.

The town council claims like so many town centres all over Britain, Welshpool is being swamped with charity shops taking advantage of rate relief and squeezing out regular traders.

Robert Robinson, town clerk, said today that the council was not against having the shops in the town but there should be a limit. He said the town currently had six charity shops.

Mr Robinson added he was now preparing a report for the Welsh Assembly on the subject of unfair trading conditions between private shops and charity shops.

He said he feared many businesses were being turned away from the town's main Broad Street because they could not compete with charity shops offering cut-price goods.

He added that the report would be handed to government officials before the end of the year.

"Charity shops get 80 per cent rate relief, so when it comes to paying rent they can afford to pay more," he said. "I think there needs to be more control over what shops we have in the town because if we're not careful many people will end up going to shop elsewhere — that's if they don't already.

"I'm not against charity shops and it's not their fault but I just think we as a town need a bit more variety here.

"When it comes to rent reviews it's the other businesses that suffer because the landlord expects them to pay the same rent as the charity shop."

He added that it was a problem nationwide.