Shopmobility, on Selborne Walk, has announced it will shut before the end of the year because of declining sales and a lack of volunteer staff
A mobility scooter shop that opened on Selborne Walk back in 1999 has announced it will shut before the end of the year because of declining sales and a lack of volunteers to staff the shop.
In a press statement, Shopmobility, which has helped thousands of local older and disabled people to move around over the years, says it has suffered from a lower customer demand for scooters.
The shop was forced to closed from 2019 until 2022, first because of the Selborne Walk fire and then Covid.
Announcing the pending closure, Shopmobility trustee and secretary Richard Mundy said: “A mobility scooter was a rare sight when Shopmobility started. But nowadays there are lots in use every day. Shopmobility has played its part in leading and encouraging that enormous change. But that progress does mean that demand for hiring scooters in the town centre has fallen enormously.”
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He added: “Shopmobility has always been led by volunteers but, in common with other local charities, recruiting them is now much more difficult. It has not been possible to find replacements for the current chair and secretary, who have served for many years and will retire this year.”
Scooter hires and shopping trips and chiropody clinics will run until October. Shopmobility says it will donate any remaining equipment and funds will be donated to other local organisations which help older and disabled people.
Shopmobility is open 10am – 4pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and can be found at 17&Central Shopping Centre, 45 Selborne Walk, E17 7JR
For details of which mobility scooters, wheelchairs and portable ramps are available free please get in touch with [email protected] or call 020 8520 3366
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