Rice Up Wholefoods, an independent store based at Hanover Buildings in Southampton, has launched a crowdfunder because it says it needs help to survive.
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The wholefood and grocery co-operative, which was set up in 2013, said on its Crowdfunder page it had been affected by the pandemic, break-ins and rising prices, leaving it struggling to pay rent for the first time.
It said the team had found themselves “battling to keep the place surviving during these most unprecedented of times”, with fewer people braving the city centre.
“Add to this recent break ins; equipment breakdowns and wholesale prices shooting up we are left facing the prospect of not being able to pay our rent for the first time since we opened,” it added.
It said it’s “aiming high” by setting a £20,000 target. It had raised around 12% of this at the time of writing.
Raising the full amount would, said Rice Up, “mean a small amount of breathing space for us to be able to pay the rent this quarter, ensure our shelves are kept stacked with your favourite products and get back on track to a sustainable future in more ways than one.”
The Crowdfunder, where there’s more background and the opportunity to contribute, is here.
Rice Up is at 20 Hanover Buildings, SO14 1JH .