Shopmobility charity says use it or lose it
A CHARITY that provides a lifeline for disabled shoppers is on the brink of closure.
Shopmobility enables people who find it physically difficult to get about to visit shops in the city centre by hiring out wheelchairs and scooters.
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DROP IN USERS: Shopmobility volunteers Dennis Porter, left, and Barry Stewart. Picture: Jack Harland
However, volunteers at the store in the Princes Quay shopping centre say the charity will be lucky to survive until Easter after a noticeable drop in users.
The problems started when the shop was moved from a more prominent busy part of the centre to a quieter area last July.
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Dennis Porter, vice-chairman of the Hull group, said: "We are very grateful to Princes Quay for the help they give us because they don't charge the charity rent.
"However, when they moved us, we noticed a big drop in users.
"We used to have about seven or eight users come in per day and now we only see about two people a day.
"It would be drastic if we had to close. People do rely on us, it would affect a lot of people and be a real shame."
The shop has now started selling equipment to raise funds and is selling three scooters and two wheelchairs.
However, the costs of buying equipment, maintaining it and securing insurance cover are still mounting.
Mr Porter said: "We need more people to come and hire the equipment and we could also do with people raising money for us and some form of sponsorship."
Shopmobility is now located on the top floor of the shopping centre.
The cost of hiring equipment is £2 per day to members, who pay £5 per year to join.
3 Comments
by mewho
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 7:23PM
“Perhaps it's there length paperwork process. We had a family get together in Hull last year, my sister is disabled and lives outside of Hull now, so when she visited and wanted to go shopping they went into princess quay to hire one of their mobility scooters, she ended up not bothering, as it would have cost her 7 pound for a couple of hours use, plus the lengthy paperwork - where she lives in Ainsdale they can just walk in pay the 2 pound and away they go.”
by gmdavison
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 2:13PM
“Shopmobily also exists at the transport exchange at Paragon Station a more central point for bus and train arrivals but less use for arrivals by car.
Moving floors negates the ability to drive straight out onto Victoria Square so perhaps Princes Quay were not getting any buisness.
A connection to the Marina?Fruit Market at level 2 would allow people to drive scootters through avoiding the traffic but again it seems no one can be bothered.”
by dontwo
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 11:07AM
“Moving this shop to the tumbleweed area says a lot for Princes Quay managment then doesnt it. All it needs now is for St Stevens management to show how they "care for people" by having a mobility charity shop set up in a prominent area, and make Prinny Quay look like greedy ogres.
Then again, it could be that Prinny Quay has had its heyday, so more shoppers, whether disabled or able bodied, are going to St Stevens.”