Town centre shop to close

A popular shop in Horsham town centre is set to close this spring.
Vida Lyne at the opening of CHLOESVida Lyne at the opening of CHLOES
Vida Lyne at the opening of CHLOES

Charity shop CHLOES in Horsham’s Bishopric will shut in March when its lease expires.

The closure will end five years of trading which has raised a massive £150,000 to support Horsham charities. The shop’s success follows donations from local residents of unwanted goods including furniture, clothes, electrical items and general bric-a-brac.

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CHLOES’ trustees insisted that all funds went to support local smaller charities that have no national or government funding.

But the shop will continue in business right up until March 18 and is calling on local residents to support it until that time.

Trustees - who are hoping to raise £20,000 before the shop shuts - say no donations will be wasted, as any unsold goods will go to other charities in the area.

CHLOES founder Vida Lyne said: “It is very sad that we can no longer continue but the owners of the property have now achieved planning permission and will commence development at the rear of the shop starting in the spring.

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“It would be impossible to continue our present business without the warehouse and rear sections of the shop. Nevertheless, we will continue trading until March.”

She added: “My thanks go to the team of dedicated experiences trustees and to the generosity of our many supporters and volunteers without whom CHLOES would not have been the success story it is.”

Among more than 15 local charities that have benefited from CHLOES include Hope In, a Salvation Army project supporting vulnerable people in the community. Others include the Phoenix Stroke Club, Samaritans, Horsham Hospital, the Memory Club, the Debt Advisory Service, Ark (for homeless people) Sussex Kidney Trust and Menieres’ Society among others.

CHLOES does not have salaried employees and all the volunteers give their time for free.