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Dick Willows farm shop to close after four years in business

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Farm shop and cider maker Dick Willows is to close after just four years in business. According to its owners the Bathford business will be closing its shop on Box Road this weekend because it has failed to make any profit since its launch in 2009. The closure will mean the loss of one full-time and one part-time job. Bella Washbourne, who runs Dick Willows with her partner Richard Hudson, said: "We're going out of business – we just can't afford to be here anymore which is quite sad. "The rent goes up again next month and we had been sub-letting and creating a nice space but we can't keep it going." Ms Washbourne said the pair had started the business, which has become well known for its cider making workshops and apple days, at the start of the recession and things had not improved. "We will certainly miss our events and apple days but we can't carry the costs. We've not made a profit in four years, we've been in a recession the whole time. We've had a double dip recession and we would have to double our takings to stay here. It was a really quick decisions." She added that last year's bad weather had not helped. She said: "The times are difficult. Last year the weather messed things up quite a lot. Cider and sunshine go hand in hand, cider and rain don't." Ms Washbourne confirmed that Dick Willows would continue to make cider but would no longer have a shop. The cider will be sold at the weekly Green Park Station farmers' market and at the Love Food Festival throughout the summer. A cafe run alongside Dick Willows has already closed at the site on Box Road but other businesses based at the farm, including Kellyann Bespoke Picture Framing, Blooms Florist and the Walk of Curiosity, are remaining open.

Dick Willows farm shop to close after four years in business


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