A greengrocer who claims to run the 'only fresh produce shop' in Torquay has seen his business made homeless.
Gary Wood, who runs the ‘Monkeys Like Bananas’ shop, claims that he was told last Wednesday (5 November) that he was being given seven days' notice to exit his retail unit in Union Square Shopping Centre, thereby leaving him with nowhere to continue to trade his business from in the immediate future.
But, the Torquay Herald Expressreports, mystery surrounds the reason for his departure from the shopping centre, with the landlord of Union Square allegedly having not yet commented on reason to serve Gary with the notice.
Wood told the newspaper: “It is an absolute disaster for us that we have to leave. People have been in tears once they have seen the sign up outside of the shop.
“We can’t understand why we have been kicked out - there is absolutely no reason for this to happen. The only reason is that there is a clause in the lease that says the management can, with seven days notice, kick us out, and that is what they have done. Why they have chosen now to do that, I don’t know.”
Wood has had his store in Union Square since February this year, although he had been trading for outside of the store in the Devon town for two years beforehand, according to the Herald Express.
He claims that his customers have told him they might boycott the shopping centre and launch a petition to try and reverse the decision.
Wood added: “We are the only fresh produce shop in Torquay, so this is crazy. Where else are people going to be get fresh produce from?
“We are very popular and get a lot of good comments. We try to look after the customers and everyone as much as we can.
“It just before Christmas and we have been kicked out. I’ve got two kids but been left with no business.
“We are devastated by this. We have so much stock that there is no way that we could clear it all. All the work that we have done has gone. Everyone has worked with us except Union Square.”
Wood told the Herald Express that he hopes to relocate his shop elsewhere in the town soon.
The landlord of Union Square Shopping Centre was unavailable for comment upon request from the newspaper.
