THE OWNERS of a high street business in Llandudno have said they are “fighting to stay open” amid the cost-of-living crisis and fewer people shopping locally.

Happily Ever After, on Mostyn Street, opened in October 2020 and is owned by husband and wife Jake and Amy Bailey, who moved to the area from Staffordshire to set up the store.

Having survived the return of the Covid-19 lockdown (without receiving grants), the toy shop, which sells Disney, Paddington and Marvel products as well as Peter Rabbit and Guess How Much I Love You and other craft items, started to see their fortunes suffer.

They are now facing an “ongoing battle” to stay open, with the cost-of-living crisis having a huge impact on their lives.

The couple, who have a child, have even sold their home in order to keep the store going.

“We’re fighting to stay open, we’ve sold our house to keep going,” Amy told the Pioneer.

“We’ve put everything into it now, but we’re at the stage we’re not sure whether we can keep going.”

According to Amy, things have taken a turn for the worse since around November time, with other factors adding to their problems.

Amy said: “It’s not just the cost-of-living – because of the postal strikes people haven’t shopped online because they’re worried about receiving their parcels etc.

“The Christmas you’d normally have, you haven’t. A lot more people have been down on the retail parks and I think especially since Marks and Spencer has moved, and now Poundland, it has had a massive impact.

They are one of many independent businesses to be feeling the pinch in the winter months, with fewer people shopping locally compared to during the pandemic.

Amy believes this is the worst the crisis has been, adding: “Through Covid people still had money to spend, and they had no choice but to shop local because you couldn’t go anywhere.

“Since Covid has lifted, people aren’t staying local, they’re going across the field.

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The couple are in the process of leasing shelf space to other local businesses and creators in a bid to increase income.

They are also planning on stocking more local products, and have expanded their Welsh section.

Earlier this week, the business made no money one day, while another day saw them take just £16.

If this is to be the end of Happily Ever After, Amy says they will have lost everything they had, and implored people to support their local shops in this time of need.

“We will have lost everything, we will have lost our home as well,” said Amy.

“We have sold our house to keep going and move into rental, we’ve literally lost our house for this shop. We have put everything on the line for this shop.”

“Today I took £16, yesterday we didn’t take anything – with how much the shop costs there is no way to keep going if that continues.

“Please shop local, without that we won’t have a high street – without your independents, there is going to be no high street left.”