PRESS RELEASE
19 July 2013
Truro Cathedral Shop joins the ‘High St’
Truro Cathedral has signed a lease on a retail property in the heart of
Truro’s shopping centre.
Truro Cathedral Shop Manager, James Barker, said, “The Directors of the limited
company that runs the shop on behalf of the cathedral felt there was a retail
opportunity to develop our presence on the ‘High St’. We have been successfully
running a summer Christmas Shop in the cathedral for five years now, and we
want to see if the idea will work outside.”
Initially the retail property, which is in King St, will stock a range of Christmas
products including Nativity Sets, Advent Calendars, Christmas Cards and
decorations. He also said, “We have really been surprised at how well the
Christmas Shop works. People seem to appreciate the quality of the traditional
range of items we hold; our nativity sets always sell well. We are going to give it a
go and see what happens.”
The cathedral hopes that if the shop is successful, then after Christmas the focus
will switch to stocking Easter and Fairtrade items.
The Dean of Truro, The Very Reverend Roger Bush, said, “Some people will find
this a difficult decision to understand. But the cathedral has to generate profits
from its commercial arm (the shop and the restaurant) in order to help finance its
core activities of worship, education and outreach and to help keep this beautiful
building open. The positive way in which the Christmas Shop in the Cathedral has
been received in the past five years leads us to believe there is a genuine demand
for these quality religious products.”
The Dean also commented, “ There is nothing about our Christmas shop that is
exploitative in any way and our products speak directly to our Christian faith.
The message of Christmas – that God was made man in the person of Jesus
Christ – is a message for the whole year and one that we want to share.”
He also said, “In many ways it’s a vote of confidence in the ‘High St’, especially
after all the economic doom and gloom we’re going through. I think we can
attract more shoppers into the city centre, which will be good for all retailers.”
This sentiment is echoed by Neil Scott, BID Manager, Totally Truro, who said,
“The opening of the Cathedral Shop in King Street is an exciting and innovative
venture and a great way to bring a uniquely Truro and Cornish offer to a broader
audience. It may appear to be a bizarre decision to open a Christmas shop on one
of the hottest days of the year, but I understand that some of the best trading
months for the Cathedral’s Christmas gift ranges are during July and August. I’m
sure that the new venture will prove to be a great addition to one of the busiest
streets in Truro.”
The Shop is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm.
For further details Contact:
Colin Reid, Communications Officer, Truro Cathedral, 01872 245007 or home:
01736 351443, mobile: 0779 1564577, colin@trurocathedral.org.uk
19 July 2013
NOTES
Why does Truro Cathedral have commercial activities?
Truro Cathedral is a charity and, as such, doesn’t trade. Truro Cathedral
Limited is the trading arm of Truro Cathedral. Its two businesses are the
Cathedral Shop and the Restaurant. Any profits from these enterprises are
gift-aided to the Cathedral to help support its worship, mission and outreach.
We have to finance ourselves, because we don’t receive money from the
State. We extend a welcome to visitors by providing food from the Cathedral
Restaurant and souvenirs of their visit from the Cathedral Shop.
Why are you opening a Christmas Shop?
We have had a Christmas Shop in the Cathedral – opening from July onwards
– for 5 years, so the principle is nothing new.
As with any charity working in these difficult financial times, we have
constantly to develop and explore different ways of building on existing
resources to increase our income. With this in mind, we have taken a lease on
the shop in King St. In many ways it’s a vote of confidence in Truro city centre
shopping at a time when we keep hearing that ‘High St’ shopping is in terminal
decline.
Isn’t this a bit of a gamble for the Cathedral?
If it doesn’t work out, then we won’t renew it.
What do you say to people who disagree with this idea?
We think we have the right products to attract customers and sales, and
people who disagree with what we are doing, don’t have to buy anything.
There is nothing about our Christmas shop that is exploitative in any way and
our products speak directly to our Christian faith.
The message of Christmas – that God was made man in the person of Jesus
Christ – is a message for the whole year and one that we want to share.