Florists ‘face ruin’ in station row Stallholders claim rail firm wants them out unless they provide flowers free of charge
ACOUPLE who have run a flower stall at Birmingham’s Moor Street station for six years claim they face bankruptcy after being given just weeks to leave.
Alan and Jackie Harley fear losing the stand which they launched to help them work through the grief of losing their youngest son, Jacob.
They had traded seven days a week and crucially provided flowers at cost price to brighten up the historic station itself.
But now they have been given their marching orders after Chiltern Railways and the station management company demanded their services for free in order to continue with the lease.
Following a meeting in November, they were given until February 27 to close the business and now fear that a combination of age and limited opportunities in their industry will make it impossible to find jobs.
Mr Harley, 56, and his wife took over the stand after they lost their son Jacob in December 2009, turning it into what they describe as Birmingham’s “largest small florist”.
They also took responsibility for flower containers around the station, providing the plants at cost price, and carried out similar work