We've been running the Earthstore since 2015 and took the shop premises in Saltburn in 2017. It's a rented building but we have been repairing the shop since we opened. We are in a very old victorian building with salt damp walls, no heating or hot water. It is very basic but we get by. We have had leaks and mould growing on the walls through the building and can't really do anything about this problem. We would be a lot more comfortable if we had heating to dry the damp and hot water to wash our hands. The main problem is the shop front. It is soft and falling off. It looks really bad to the public and puts them off. I have tried to patch it up with filler but it just happens again. We need to get a professional in to make it last and bring it up to standard.
The shop is a sanctuary and place of hope. It's a community and supports the handicraft industry around the world through our fair-trade supplies.
We suffered losses from the Covid crisis and don't have the savings to repair and improve the building.
I've never had any funding over the 4 years trading here. This business is self funded but this time we need your help to improve the conditions that we work in.
The building in in a conservation area and needs specialist work. We want to respect the original features but this is added cost. So we need a little miracle?
Thank you