Zero-waste shop being ‘suffocated’ by Clean Air Zone
AN environmentally-friendly Birmingham shop could shut – because the city’s Clean Air Zone is “suffocating” the premises, its owners have said.
Owners Jeanette Wong and Tom Pell of ‘zero-waste’ shop The Clean Kilo, in Digbeth, say they are at risk of closure and issued a desperate message on the shop’s Facebook page “in the hope that we see changes in the current system”.
They expressed fears of an “uncertain future” and said the store may have to close if nothing is done, adding they had asked West Midlands mayor Andy Street and local MPs for help.
The pair wrote: “The last 16 months have been difficult for most businesses but the past few months have suffocated our premises at 1 Gibb Street, Digbeth.
“We’ve been quiet about the extent of the situation whilst working hard to introduce other services. However, we need to see changes now to impact the long term.
“As a social enterprise, that was partly crowdfunded by our community, and as anti-plastic pollution campaigners on a national and global scale, we want to be transparent about our risk of closure in the hope that we see changes in the current system.”
The entrepreneurs currently operate two stores, with the other in Bournville. They claim to be the largest zero-waste supermarket in the UK with customers able to buy food, cleaning products and toiletries in their own refillable bags to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and oceans.
Despite running a successful online operation, the pair admitted they were struggling to maintain a physical presence.
Miss Wong said the Digbeth store was “symbolic” but she feared it was becoming inaccessible for local people.
They cited a lack of support during lockdown, the Clean Air Zone, parking and ongoing Metro line works in the city centre as reasons for their risk of closure.
While they praised the Clean Air Zone as a “fantastic initiative” they said the public transport and cycling infrastructure wasn’t in place for the scheme to work. They also took aim at the current Metro line works ongoing across the city centre, saying lane closures, traffic and noise pollution had made it “undesirable to come into the area”.
They added: “Zero waste shops around the country are closing down weekly – something needs to be done on a national scale.
“We would like to thank our landlord Zellig Building for their financial support which has helped keep us going for this long.
“If you would like to help, please most importantly share this message and in the meanwhile pop into our stores or order a delivery if you can.”