Ladybird now feels more than just a business, it feels like a big part of the Caldicot community. Our customers and the whole community have welcomed us and supported us, so Deb and I feel that because you have been loyal customers, we owe it to you to explain what our situation really is.
If you live in or near Caldicot you probably want to understand why so much is changing or closing, Ladybird has also fallen victim to the sudden price raises and the down turn in sales, but for us this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Firstly, the staff were told a few days ago, they have been given time to digest and ask any questions they might have. We are hoping they will continue to work for us until the end, but we are also keen they follow any good opportunities that may come their way before we close and if this happens, we will both encourage them to go for it and wish them well!
Secondly this may not be the end of Ladybird. Deb and I are keen to emphasize that we are open to offers to buy the name, equipment, stock and if required, a hand over period with me and Deb. So, this may not mean another empty unit in Caldicot and wouldn’t it be lovely if Ladybird could become an even more community based business like a peoples cooperative? Where a group would own the business and run it not for profit, but for the community to both have a lovely, relaxing place to buy lunch or cakes, but also to teach those who may not get a lot out of mainstream education. Unfortunately, we also have to consider what happens if we don’t find a buyer.
With any new business you expect a time of working long hours for little to no money while establishing the business. Then you would expect some growth, and this would be the time to really cement what you are about, how the business will run and what you expect it to look like in the near future.
Ladybird opened on Caldicot high street at the end of 2016 after trading in Tintern for 2 years as just a Paint your own Pottery shop. We quickly increased our range both in craft and in the coffee shop, so much so that the unit just wasn’t working for us, it was too small to hold enough customers at peak times, but wasn’t able to make enough money from the customers we could fit in to make it a viable business. Deb and I looked at a lot of other units, as soon as we viewed the old Barclays bank, we knew we could do a lot in this building. The building had so much potential and being just off the high street meant much lower business rates. In a nut shell it had a lot more to offer for a very similar price to those units on the high street.
For those of you who followed our renovation work of the Barclays building you’ll remember the awful state the building was in. We only had a tiny budget, but with a lot of help from family and friends we just about kept to our budget, in return for a good discount on the rent we were able to make the building homely and comfortable, but with more work needed as funds became available.
When we opened in the current building in July 2019 we were overwhelmed by the support from the local community. We had a fantastic summer, Christmas and into the beginning of 2020, Deb and I thought 2020 would finally be the year we would be able to pay ourselves a reasonable amount every month. But I don’t need to tell you what 2020 brought us… We were lucky to get grants from the council to help with paying the rent, but me and Deb received no financial help ourselves.
Every time we started to come out of the lockdowns it was like starting a new business. Advertising we were open, encouraging an understandably nervous public to return and spend their money was difficult, time consuming and expensive. We hadn’t been making a profit before the lockdowns and there were still so many jobs to do on the building just to maintain it, it took any spare money we had. This was ok because we planned to build the business, to increase our product range in craft, craft workshops and the coffee shop, to employ more staff, even increase opening hours so Ladybird could become a place for customers to enjoy as well as train new staff in hospitality and increase confidence.
Then Brexit happened and brought the problems with supplies and delivery drivers, which effected both our craft and the coffee shop aspects. We battled on because more than anything me and Deb love our jobs, we love the community feel of the shop, meeting people and encouraging crafting for all.
At the beginning of 2022 things seemed to improve for the whole country and problems with supplies and drivers were less often, our customers were more keen than ever to come out and support us. Again, Deb and I dared to believe that we could pay ourselves a wage.
While we are so fortunate to not live in a war zone, the war in Ukraine has hit the UK more then I think any of us could have imagined. Prices are raising quicker now than in the last 40 years, and we have tried to keep our prices as low as possible, after all we all need to enjoy a cuppa and cake now and again. But I’m sure like many of you, we are really feeling the crush in food and electric prices. Our customers are understandably counting the pennies at the moment and buying less luxury items.
It’s the prefect storm when it comes to running a small business. If one of these phenomenon’s had happened alone, we could have weathered the storm, but with rinsing prices after Brexit, after covid on top of being a relatively new business with no profits to fall back on, then all you have left is two very tired, poor and burnt-out ladies. Deb and I, along with our very understanding and patient husbands, have discussed the business at length over the last few months, and we are all in agreement that its time to call it a day on us owning Ladybird Craft centre. This is a real heart ache for us, but it is now time for Deb and I to focus on our personal lives.
The lease finishes next year and if we can’t find a buyer soon, we will close in approx. spring 2024.
We hope you will continue to support us until then.
Jo and Deb.
