THE owner of an award-winning bespoke business in Enniskillen is facing the possibility of closing her doors for good after suffering ‘significant financial losses’.
Shauna Gallagher, who founded The Natural Beauty Pot in 2010, relocated the business to Townhall Street in 2023. However, due to soaring costs and a lack of footfall, she now faces the grim reality of closure.
“I’m going to have to make a decision and run with it, but the decision has already been made really. I just don’t know how to navigate it,” Ms Gallagher told the ‘Herald.
“What we were making from January to November wasn’t enough. We were making a loss and we don’t have the financial capacity to keep that up.”
Ms Gallagher expressed her frustration, adding, “I’ve just drawn a blank. When you get to post-Christmas, you’re exhausted. We just have to brainstorm now and think about what we can come up with.”
High Street businesses across the North have been struggling due to the combined impact of online shopping and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, which has reduced footfall in towns.
Despite having a loyal group of customers, Gallagher fears her shop may not survive much longer, as the costs continue to outpace revenue. “I have debt and need to pay that off. If I don’t have the shop, that’s my main revenue stream, but I don’t see how we can make back what we have spent,” she explained.
Although the Christmas season brought in a welcome boost, Ms Gallagher says that the business has never been able to sustain consistent profits.
“Christmas was very good but we don’t make ends meet any other month of the year.”
“I waited a really long time to find the right unit on the High Street. I didn’t want too big, I didn’t want too small and I generally thought I would be able to pay the bills.
“We do have a really loyal group of customers, and we have people who spend a lot of money, but our running costs and overheads are so high,” she said.
The pressure has taken a toll on Ms Gallagher’s mental health, with the stress affecting her sleep and adding to the challenges of managing the business.
“We’re going week to week trying to pay off things. I’d be better off and better paid if I went and got a job at a large supermarket,” she admitted.
Ms Gallagher’s move to a High Street location had been a long-held dream. “We had the Buttermarket, which was much more casual, but I really wanted a shop on the High Street,” she said, “you assume you’re going to get more footfall, but that hasn’t been the case.”
https://fermanaghherald.com/2025/01/fermanaghs-y2k-babies-are-all-grown-up/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0h4q-_k6Ou9TGLqJ80D3-tcXhn_HPgKGisJqLpv0mFxfnjFX0GuDkCOqY_aem_DhiY_zaHrOJxaE7vmdwjQA
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