REIGATE town centre lost just one retail business over the new year – but the news that it will be replaced with a charity shop has raised eyebrows.
Staff at home furnishing store Karavan decided not to renew their Bell Street lease and closed the shop at the end of December after seven years in the town. Tadworth-based charity The Children's Trust is negotiating to take on the lease and open its 22nd store.
While there is support for the charity, and the news that the large unit will not remain empty for long has been welcomed by other traders, it will become the fifth charity shop in a small stretch of road.
Reigate Business Guild chairman Shirley Cox said she was boosted by the performance of the town over Christmas, but echoed traders' concerns at the arrival of another charity shop.
She said: "I am surprised that it is going to be another charity shop – I would have hoped first on the list would have been an independent.
"I would have thought another retail unit could have taken it on.
"Obviously I am all for charity shops raising money but for traders down Bell Street, and the town in general, charity shop shoppers may come into town for charity shops, so I don't know if it will affect trade for other independents. That is my only concern."
"The main thing is that it is not an empty unit, and The Children's Trust is well-supported by everybody. But that makes seven charity shops in total and that is a lot for a small town."
"Thankfully, no-one apart from Karavan has gone after Christmas, when the next quarter's rent is due. It is remarkable how few empty shops we do have."
Charity shops pay normal rents, but not business rates, and their outgoings are lower than other retailers.
Residents on Twitter told the Mirror they had nothing against charity shops, but called for more diversity.
Tracy Carroll, from Local Food Surrey, said: "While we are not against charity shops, you can't just have charity shops because the high street is going to wither and die."
Meanwhile two more empty town centre units have been filled. DASH, a gentlemen's barber, massage and sunbed business, opened in High Street last month in the former Westwood Rocks shop, which shut in October.
And London Road pop-up restaurant Sweet Potato, which had not opened for more than a year, has been replaced with an Argentinian Steak House. Buenos Aires opened on Friday, the seventh branch of a chain founded in Purley five years ago.
