It’s all change on the village high street as new shopowners move in

It’s all change on Ladywell’s high street. Gift shop Honeybourne’s looks destined to change hands later this year; a new butcher has taken over Heckstall & Smith; and the Ladywell Fish Bar is being refurbished by a new owner.

The lease for Honeybourne’s is up for sale on Gumtree, the online advertisement site.

Hannah, who has run the shop for three and a half years, wants a new challenge and is taking up a position with a trade union, the TSSA.

The shop at 46 Ladywell Road was opened by Jason (remember him) as a gift shop six years ago.

Before that it was NightWatch, at the time one of Ladywell’s infamous empty properties. The unit was left vacant for well over a decade.

The gift shop lease is on offer for £15,000.

Heckstall & Smith, the butchers shop, has been sold to Jon Toy, a butcher from Twickenham. The sale will be completed over the next couple of weeks.

Jon plans to refurbish the shop and is keen to get involved with local groups.

The fish and chip shop, which was sold recently, is currently being refurbished.

The new owner, who also runs the Village Fish Bar in Blackheath, expects to reopen in about two weeks.

We hope all this activity is a good sign that Ladywell’s high street businesses will continue to thrive and survive in the years ahead despite all the challenges shopowners face.

A recent report said a net 2,481 stores, banks and other businesses disappeared from Britain’s top 500 high s last year, 40 per cent more than in 2017.

Its the fastest rate of decline for nine years as shoppers switch to buying online or rein in spending amid all the uncertainty.