Bitter end in store as Stratford sweet shop to close

THIS Christmas will be bitter-sweet for a family-run shop that’s been in the town centre for more than a decade.

Wilfred’s is closing down as its lease has come to an end and is not being renewed.

The independently run sweet shop in the High Street, managed by Sarah Louise and sister Lisa, is known for its huge range of pick-and-mix sweets, US candy, bubble gum, liquorice and chocolate.

The business, which has been at the site for 14 years, was known as Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop and was originally part of a national franchise, before going independent and changing its name four years ago.

The building is owned by luxury jeweller Pragnell, which is said to have ambitious plans to expand its showroom, creating a jewellery quarter. As well as its main outlet in Wood Street, the firm last year opened a store opposite specialising in high-end used and vintage watches.

And in April the Herald reported Pragnell was taking over the former Fraser Hart building on the corner of Wood Street and High Street.

A planning application was submitted to Stratford District Council to put up scaffolding outside numbers 38 and 39 High Street but the application has since been withdrawn.

Pragnell also owns the building currently occupied by Timpson’s but the Herald understands the branch of the key cutting and shoe repair chain is on a five-year lease with no plans to move out in the near future.

The former Body Shop unit, also on High Street, has Pragnell branding on the front of the store. The Body Shop closed earlier this year.

Some Stratford residents have criticised Pragnell, accusing them of “taking over the town”.

Pensioner Diana Hinton, who was born in Stratford and has lived in the town all her life, said she was sad to see small, independently owned shops such as Wilfred’s squeezed out and described it as “depressing”.

Mrs Hinton, who lives in Shottery, told the Herald: “We haven’t got any decent shops, we need shops for local people as well as the tourists.

“These businesses like Gail’s, they’re not for locals – who wants to spend £5 on a loaf? We need the small local bakeries like we used to have, with reasonable pricing because the working class people of Stratford aren’t rich.”

She added: “I think it’s really bad of Pragnell to take over the whole of the corner and the high street. Who’s going to shop for jewellery every day?

“We want greengrocers and department stores and things that’ll bring people back into the town.”

Pragnell was approached for comment about its planning application and the lease on Wilfred unit.