Leicester’s oldest sweet shop faces cost-of-living worries
The number of sales at the oldest sweet shop in Leicester has dropped after being affected by the cost-of-living crisis this year.
Co-owner of Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe, Rakesh Parmar, 39, said: “The business is unstable at the moment. I wake up every day and pray things get better.
“Personally, it’s the fear of the unknown of how high our bills will go.”
Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe is located in Hotel Street in Leicester city centre and was established in the 1930s.
Rakesh said: “It’s more fear driven, coming to work every day and not knowing how the business will turn out that day.”
The average number of customers visiting the shop every day during the on-going crisis is 25.
“The business before all of the cost-of-living issues, if compared like for like, was definitely much better.
“I wouldn’t exactly say booming, but it was more.”
The cost-of-living crisis affects not only the customers but the shop owners themselves.
Suppliers have increased stock prices for the owners due to inflation which as a result increases retail prices at a time when customers do not have extra money to spend.
“Nowadays, I just look around and see the contrast between this side of the town, it feels like we’re in lockdown again.
“It isn’t quite as bad as lockdown because we had to completely close down then, but it is a very difficult time we are going through.”
The cost-of-living crisis has affected many households since 2021, but after Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, businesses have suffered the most yet again.
Rakesh said: “The hardest thing right now is preparation and stock keeping because we don’t know how much we’re going to sell and by when.
“I just ask myself, when will inflation end on regular products like milk and bread?
“We are the best-selling sweet shop in Leicester and our reputation deserves to live up to its name."
Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe is a family-run business which has been under the ownership of Rakesh’s family for the past 30 years.
Rakesh said: “We cater for everyone and hopefully we can keep everyone happy once we’ve survived this crisis.”
For more information on the sweet shop, visit: www.yeolde-sweetshoppe.com
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