South Yorkshire Animal Rescue, a local business in Walkley, announced their closure this week after 40 years due to online shopping and “excessive amounts of parking fines.”
The charity and pet rescue shop was established in 1983, and rehomed and rehabilitated thousands of animals, such as hedgehogs and cats.
The owners displayed a sign that claimed their closure was due to passing trade in the area “falling dramatically over the past couple of years.”
A local resident said: “There used to be all sorts of shops in Walkley. Butchers, paper shops, wool shops.
“I think parking is a problem — we don’t like the fact that the council has blocked off access to Crookes, and I think more and more people shop online nowadays.”
The company also stated that the quality of charity shop donations has decreased, with many people selling their things on second hand sites such as eBay and Vinted.
Another local said: “It’s very sad, but Walkley is a transient place There’s a lot of young people who move on so we tend to get a lot of new changes with businesses moving on.
“People haven’t got money to keep the stores going and I have to go to the cheapest unfortunately.”
