Another Shotton High Street ‘Stalwart’ looks to exit.

The ‘virtual’ FOR SALE signs have gone up on one of Shotton High Streets most established businesses.

A TWEET from Manchester based Blacks Brokers alerted us to the sale of Premier Discounts.

Premier Discounts hardware store has stood on the High Street for around 12 years, they sell a rather eclectic mix of household goods from WD40 to knitting needles, mouse traps and much more.

The Blacks website says:

‘Blacks consider that this business and properties constitute an exciting opportunity with considerable potential for young and energetic new owners.’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7DqRNWgXh4

A quick tot up of the numbers quoted on the website would suggest current sustainability to be a real challenge, making around £900 a week in Gross Profit, that`s before any wages utilities or expenses are paid out, it would leave very little to deposit in the bank every week.

Premier discounts owner, Andrew Walton spoke to ‘the Leader‘ about the High Street and soaring business rates last December, he said:

“They (business rates) are destroying the town centre, there are that many properties closing down, i personally have to pay about £812 a month for a small place with very little footfall.

Mr Walton felt that he and others were not getting any help to keep town centres alive:

“Why aren’t we getting help? There is no help whatsoever, nothing is happening, nobody has been anywhere near Shotton, it’s just ridiculous, i used to have six girls working for me but that’s impossible now,” 

There are currently around fifteen empty properties along Shotton High street, Chester Road West, which doesn’t bode well for a “quick sale” however, Premier Discounts is perhaps in one of the ‘hotspots’ in terms of location and could be an attractive proposition to somebody wanting to take the business in a completely new direction.

There have been a couple of new occupants recently on the High Street, Heron Frozen foods opened last July which is  “Bringing you top quality products at the lowest possible prices” so the website says, they plonked themselves next to Mum`s favourite Iceland – the Deeside headquartered retailer. 

Another recent addition has quietly crept onto the High Street occupying one of the previously empty properties,  the mysterious ‘Information Station‘ 

This addition to Shotton High Street is offering perhaps one of the most diverse range of services ever offered on a UK High Street, from short term loan advice to breast enlargement and gastric band advice as well as debt management and ‘web design’, however there own website is incomplete and offers no clues as to who is behind this rather odd venture.