Why second-hand clothes shops are booming

Where most high street shops are fading, charity and vintage shops are thriving. Whilst it is miserable that we are losing some of our favourite high street stores because of the recession, it is giving charity shops a boost.


Charity shops used to be knitwear, bric-a-brac and hand-me-down clothes maintained by elderly women. However the abandoned shops are now in full swing and sweeping profits due to the shops closing down frequently on the high street. There has also been a return of vintage clothing, and where else better to pick up a bargain and get yourself a fashionable item that isn’t worn by the majority of shoppers?

According to Charity Retail Association, there are 7,700 charity shops in England which raise around £200 million per year. They get tax concessions because all the profits from a charity shop go to fund the work of the charity, which provides public benefit. They serve a charitable purpose so they benefit from exemption from corporation tax on profits. They receive 80% mandatory non-domestic relief which is funded by the central government, with a further 20% relief available at the discretion of local authorities.

Amanda Silkstone, 40 from Chesterfield works as a sales assistant at Age Concern in Chesterfield. She said that Age Concern hasn’t increased in business because of high street stores closing because “we can’t compete with Primark.” She thinks that the economy will pick back up again and that it’s just going through a slump.



High street music and DVD stores have suffered the most, as people can now get the same products online for a cheaper price; GAME and HMV have been affected by the recession. Fashion retailers such as; La Senza, Firetrap, Azendi, Pumpkin Patch, Peacocks, Barratts and T J Hughes are just a few of the popular chains that have either gone into administration or have closed due to the recession.

Charity shops have now caught up on ‘visual merchandising’, they now have shops on eBay and stock trendy up to date fashionable items that appeal to the younger generation. It’s not just elderly women hunting for collectables in charity shops; it’s also youths on the search for one-off individual items that the high street doesn’t offer. It’s no longer embarrassing to shop in those kinds of shops, quite the opposite in fact.

Au revoir high street stores, charity shops have made a comeback. Boutiques, independent stores and good old-fashioned bargain hunting is back.

Revevant links

Find your nearest charity shop – Charity Retail Association charity shop finder
Age Concern – About the charity
Search eBay for charity items – eBay charity shops