Recession Bites As D R Simpson In Wick To Close In Days

2nd June 2013

D R Simpson the newsagents in the middle of Wick is set to close after an announcment by the owner Davie Moss on Facebook last night.

The full message is as follows -

To the people of Wick, my friends and my many customers who have visited the shop and spent their hard earned money in the nine and half years I have owned it. Unfortunately I have to tell you we have just become another casualty of the current recession. From Wednesday or Thursday this week we will be closing the doors for good. I just want to thank you all for your loyalty and commitment to the shop over the years. I have met so many good, honest and decent people, many of whom have become very good friends, and many who have become like family to me. My staff have been the best I have ever worked with. Their hard work, honesty and integrity renewed my faith in mankind. The craic in the shop was second to none and many customers commented on it and only visited to be cheered up by it. Sadly with the lack of support from the banks, the rising costs on a weekly basis meant the figures could not meet the requirements needed to keep the shop going. For example our monthly electricity and gas costs were over £2500, our banking charges were over £500, and unlike some other shops in Wick who don't pay rates ours were over £800 per month. Add in VAT, tax, PAYE, staff costs and it was just impossible to keep going on when the only thing that reduced was customer numbers and customer spend and the general takings. I put in all the spare cash I had, I borrowed from my family, some fantastic friends who helped me for a while and some not to nice people from Glasgow who loan money at stupid interest rates, just to try and get through and maybe survive another year but alas, it was a mistake. The recession is here, people just don't have the same money to spend anymore. So I just want to finish and say to you all, " thank you" from the bottom of my heart.

I will be moving to Edinburgh to live with my father from Friday of this week. Take care, be happy, be safe, Love Davie Moss