Back Our Businesses: Gift shop shares worries in lead up to Christmas, following move across Northampton town centre

For this week’s Back Our Businesses campaign coverage, the owner of a Northampton town centre gift shop has shared his worries in the lead up to Christmas.

Bias Gifts is located in the lower mall of the Grosvenor Centre, after making the move from Market Walk, previously known as Peacock Place, in October 2020.

While Christmas would usually be a busy period for the gift shop, 57-year-old Majid Riahi spoke to Chronicle & Echo about how this is far from the case this year with the rising cost of living.

Majid said: “Things took a turn for the worst around two-to-three months ago and business has not been as good as last year.

“As we’ve had to put our prices up between 20 and 40 percent per item, in line with the price rises from who we buy our stock from, people are shopping around in the hope of buying the same products cheaper.”

The owner says they have built up a loyal customer base, who “love the store”, and all of them still visit to admire the items on offer.

“People have different tastes but they love what we sell and it makes me really happy,” said Majid. “But unfortunately they don’t buy as they used to.”

Majid says his customers have told him that when they visit the town centre, it is just for his store as they would rather shop outside of Northampton.

He said: “Many tell me they can’t find what they need here in the town centre and shop elsewhere to have their needs met. It’s sad.”

Not only has the store been impacted by the increase in stock prices, but fluctuating utility bills too – as most businesses have reported to Chronicle & Echo since the start of the Back Our Businesses campaign in October.

In a bid to minimise costs where possible, the business has introduced new technology to the shop’s lighting – but as the technology is not cheap, this has been another expense to add to the growing list.

Bias Gifts has also limited its use of heating where possible. “This is what we have to do to survive,” said the owner.

What Majid pays for rent in the Grosvenor Centre is significantly more than he paid when the shop was situated in Market Walk.

Although he says there is more footfall in the shopping centre, people are not buying as much as they previously did – and Majid is having to “work harder to cover the expenses”.

The owner said: “If there was more footfall in the town, I could carefully choose the products for my customers based on what they love. But it takes time to accommodate all the different ages, genders and the amount of money people have, so I have to go for the demand.”

One observation Majid has made is that often people enter the shop, take a picture of a product they like, and leave as they believe they can find it cheaper elsewhere or online.

Looking to the future, Bias Gifts hopes their business rates will remain the same but expects the rent to be raised – but only time will tell.