Sweet Charlie’s, the popular Newport dessert shop, has issued an urgent plea to its customers as the establishment faces what the owners have described as a ‘get help or close’ dilemma.
The much-loved shop on the High Street in Newport opened back in May 2021 and has proved hugely popular ever since, offering delicious tasty treats and snacks.
But now at the start of 2023, with the cold, wet and windy weather meaning the Island isn’t as busy as it was in the Summer, Sweet Charlies have admitted they need help.
In a statement on their Facebook Page, owners Charlie and Dave have declared that they would like to raise £35,000, stating that anyone who donates via the crowdfunding page will receive a sweet treat on the house in return.
The business has cited the rapid rate of inflation, as well as issues around staffing levels when they opened, as the reason for the situation they are in. They have also admitted that their accountant wasn’t informing them on the financials as regularly as they should have.
In the meantime, operating hours during the quieter periods are being reviewed and costings for supplies are being constantly monitored.
On their Facebook page, Charlie has said:
“Myself, Dave, and our hardworking team have poured our hearts out into this venue. And our hearts would break if we can’t keep providing positive experiences for Island families. We opened the café to bring something different to the town and it’s been so positive that we would hate to give up on it now.”
Article continues below this advertisement “We know it’s a high ask in these times but we are laying it out on the table.”
Anyone who wishes to donate to the fundraising page can do so here – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-sweet-charlies.
We could all asked for help
Really sad to say but i have never heard of the shop
I sympathise with any business struggling, but if you open this kind of business on the Island you will rely on the tourist trade during the summer to make a profit to see you through the winter months, In the middle of winter with the added pressure on peoples finances you really are going to struggle.
This is a fairly new business that is already in financial trouble, like many other people, I do feel for you, but you should have made a better business plan, nobody has a crystal ball, but your kind of business will always suffer in winter without even a financial crisis.
Crowdfunding is basically begging to keep a failing business afloat, I assume no one is prepared to put further money into your business as it is classed as to risky.
£35000 how long would that last until the next plea?
Be flats filled with dusky faces clutching phones in doorways within a couple of years one expects as it follows many a once thriving business.
Hope I am wrong, but would mean selling 3,500,000 penny chews to get the cash back.
In my day you got 4 for a penny, so lucky inflation has lessened the amount to be sold.
Exactly, this ” much loved ” and ” hugely popular ” business since it’s opening is already on the verge of closure, their business plan simply is not working, most of us are also finding the going difficult.
The economic reality is hitting hard on all of us, and is not going to change quickly, this couple have made an attempt to run this business, however despite being ” much loved ” and ” hugely popular, ” have failed to make a financial success of their business and have made mistakes and now beg for money and surely will again and again.
If you make less than you spend in any business you have failed, don’t beg for money, that £35,000 won’t save you, however loved and popular as you are, spending more than you earn equals closure.
This is a shame for this Isle of Wight business.
What you guna do next winter ask for another 35k! I’ll give you a quid for a sweet treat as long as it’s worth a lot more than my quid!
What happens when the 35 grand is gone are they going to ask for more,it’s sad but its life,people are living on the breadline all the time and don’t have money to go and spend it at rather expensive waffle places,times are going to get worse too
Why should we help, should have had a better business plan,they should expect the winter to be quiet customer wise
This business was opened on the backing of an investor and with no disrespect for this couple to open such a large during the middle of Covid and 18 months later to expect the public to simply donate is utterly ludicrous, if the island public has £35,000 of donations , is it going to give it to business owners who have clearly made bad decisions, business owners who have already clearly let down their investor and to business owners who want £35,000 to cover their own pockets/survival for the interim, or would the island prefer to give £35,000 to war hero’s,under-privileged children etc Dave & Charlie I am sorry to say “you are living in cuckoo land” quite frankly your plea to raise £35,000 is embarrassing to read
I think it’s a bit of a cheek to ask for hand outs, people cannot afford to give their hard earned money away. I have not been here as I found it too expensive, even when there was an offer on you couldn’t use it when the kids were off school. I couldn’t understand why they opened that sort of business there anyway. My business is also struggling too, but I would never resort to this. Get a loan like everyone else.
We need 5k to get ourselves back on level and not struggling anymore, didn’t realise u can just ask public for money on here. Can anyone help me? Can’t quite believe u r asking for 35k ( a YEARLY income for 2 working parents) and offering a pancake with squirty cream as a thank u. We r really struggling sometimes to get a full food shop or put fuel in the car. I know people that r sitting in blankets and jumpers cause they don’t wanna put heating on cause of cost, and u want people to put money Into a business that will inevitably end up in same position again. I actually feel insulted that this article was published
or put fuel in the car.
The entitlement is astonishing – you do realise that a car is not an absolute right don’t you.
perhaps you get rid of the car and walk/use public transport and do online delivery for food
Ridiculous comment, this guy isn’t asking for the money is he, sometimes public transport is impossible to use when working, a ridiculous comment
Shame that a local busi
Shame a local business feels the need to beg in this way, maybe Tpiw offers my help you . Apart from that I would say this is wrong especially during a cost of living crisis, and considering the low wages paid on the island .
Good luck anyway
Crowd funding – good luck on that one. Could end up being a very expensive sweet treat. People are now learning the cost of inflation and fall out from the Ukraine war so they are going to be more selective on what and how they spend their money on – more so now especially as we have yet to hit the colder weather of February. Perhaps they need to downsize and concentrate more on areas that have proved successful for the time being and rent out any space to other “entrepreneurs” . Business plans are so important.
Many small ( and I guess large) businesses will fail soon. Unsustainable energy costs + rampant inflation will see to that. Very sad all round for everyone.
Theres a plan, one of my bentleys needs a service and my 3rd home wants a springclean, can I have some free money too?
Cut your losses and close the doors now.Continuing will only drag you further into debt.
Now that £708 has been donated what happens to that money?
My opinion – Asking the general public for a handout to keep YOUR business alive has caused or will cause the door to shut and quite rightly ! The blatant cheek of it, what next year ? Or even in 6 months ? , also if Dave manages the pub next door I believe that his employer should look at their business because if he is begging for public handouts on a business he owns how on earth can he run someone’s else’s business efficiently. Sorry but this plea has to be one of the most pathetic i have EVER read, the MOST insulting and most importantly when families are struggling to keep warm, food on the table etc the MOST insulting I have ever read. CLOSE THOSE DOORS NOW, YOU HAVE PUT THE NAIL IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS COFFIN.