‘Wasted money’ anger as charity does shops U-turn

Cancer Research UK will close its Wishes stationery stores in Durham City and Darlington next month.

The units will be converted back into regular charity shops having been open three years and 18 months respectively, selling cards and gifts.

The charity spent an estimated £40,000 converting each shop into Wishes branches - and will now spend up to £5,000 converting them back into their original state.

But the charity faces a mutiny from members of its own staff, who are unhappy at the decision to spend money refitting shops that had been recently refurbished.

One employee, who did not wish to be named, said: "They are now converting all the shops back.

"We volunteers are furious as to convert back will cost £5,000 per shop.

"We didn't think that these shops would work."

But Simon Ledsham, Cancer Research UK's trading director, said the money already spent had not been wasted.

He added: "Money spent on refurbishment will continue to benefit Cancer Research UK as the fixtures and fittings will go on being used in the stores.

"We are keeping the cost of the conversion to a minimum.

It is likely to be between £3,000 and £5,000 per shop."

All 29 standalone Wishes shops nationwide will close, although the product range is likely to be made available in regular Cancer Research UK shops.

Mr Ledsham said: "Wishes has been a great example of Cancer Research UK's commitment to innovation in fundraising. A card and gift shop selling only new goods was a radical idea that was entirely new to the charity shop sector.

"As a charity, we need to raise as much money as possible for our important work and we believe the shops will be more productive concentrating on donated stock.

"The charity remains committed to looking for ambitious, innovative ways to raise funds for our important work to help beat cancer."

Shop staff have been informed of the plans and have been told their jobs are safe.