Long-running Chesterfield business closes town centre store and becomes online-only venture

Krazy Price's shop on Knifesmithgate shut earlier this month.

The company, which is owned by Jacqueline Vernon, now just has a website to sell its products, including curtains, bedding and bathroom accessories.

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'We hope Chesterfield residents will continue to use us'

Jacqueline's daughter Sophie Vernon, who works full-time for the business, said: "Due to increasing rents, high rates, long-term contracts and ever-increasing parking charges in the town centre, we felt no choice but to close the shop and continue our venture online.

"The homeless problem and legal high issues, I believe, have affected our trade massively over the past year as people were unsure to use the street we were on as we had many people laid all over the floor, begging for money, swearing and loitering.

"I feel the town has lost its atmosphere over the last few years.

"There's no excitement, no buzz, especially with the market - 'what market?' I hear many customers say.

"However, we have had a large amount of regular customers saddened by our departure.

"We didn't want to close our shop - but in order for our business to carry on, online will be the only way to keep costs lower.

"We hope the residents of Chesterfield will continue to use us - we will have many online promotions and offer codes for first orders in June."

Krazy Price opened its store on Knifesmithgate after the Victoria Centre - where it was based for nearly 20 years - closed in 2017.

Sophie added: "The beautiful Victoria Centre building sadly still stands empty which is a real loss to the town as it could have been filled with many more businesses to help boost the town's trade."

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'Number of occupied shops in Chesterfield remains high'

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council's leader, said: "I'd like to thank the staff at Krazy Price for their years of loyal service to the people of Chesterfield and wish them all the best in their online venture.

"We are aware that town centre retailers have issues but the number of occupied shops in Chesterfield remains high with 92.1 per cent of town centre shops occupied, which is more than three per cent above the national average.

"Car parking charges in town centre car parks were frozen this year and for the last four years we have offered a parking rate of £3 for three hours to encourage people to use our town centre shops and businesses and we have frozen market rents for the last four years also.

"We work closely with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour through the introduction of the Public Space Protection Orders and we encourage anyone who sees any incidents of anti-social behaviour to report it to the police on the non-emergency number, 101."

The council insisted that it was not responsible for rents and business rates.