A photography studio in Pershore is set to close its doors after seeing more than a 50 per cent decline in business since the war in Iran.
Number 25 Photography in Broad Street will close its doors for the last time at the end of this month after two years.
Although a sad decision, the business cannot continue to cover the overheads admitted owner Richard O’Connell which were ‘knocking on £1,000 a month’.
A number of factors have led to the closure, including Trump’s war in Iran, a change in tastes, and improvements in technology.
The business will continue online, however, Number 25 Photography will no longer sell cameras, and offer printing services, something Mr O’Connell said would be a shame for elderly customers.
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Mr O’Connell said: “June 26 is our last day.
“Basically, we can’t afford the overheads of a shop. I’ve worked for other studios in the past and just fancied my own.
“Sadly, we just do not get the business that the shop needs to pay the rent and the overheads.
“I think times have changed. There’s less people doing an indoor shoot with a white background.
“People are asking us to go to them now to do shoots in a back garden, or their home, or even down the park.”
“We are really sad about it because it’s been lovely having a high street presence.”
With the closure of the studio, the business will continue to offer around 70 per cent of what it currently provides.
Mr O’Connell added: “We’ve got no alternative.
“Almost to the day since Trump went into Iran in the middle of February, we have really struggled.
“We have seen a massive downturn.
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“I think people are a bit scared about how much money they are going to have.
“They are a little bit uneasy about the cost of living, the price of fuel, and the price to keep their homes, and all this sort of thing. I am as well. It’s not easy.
“There’s not a lot of money out there for a lot of people, and we’ve seen almost an immediate downturn.
“Year on year, we are down by well over 50 per cent since February. So it’s really plummeted.
“We won’t have camera sales anymore, and we won’t have printing services any more.
“Which is a shame because we’ve got a lot of regular customers, especially elderly customers that pop in with pictures on their phone, and they’ve taken a family picture and want it printed, and that is what we offer.
“But 75p here and £1 there doesn’t pay the bills.”