4 days ago
Shock closure of Stirling Pram store leaves parents out of pocket
Dozens of mums-to-be have been left out of pocket after a respected Stirling baby store shut up shop with no warning.
Stirling Pram announced on social media that it was closing its doors and going into liquidation.
Expectant parents desperately tried to contact the business, having paid hundreds of pounds for prams, car seats and nursery furniture, but their calls went unanswered.
Stirling Pram, which has since deleted its website and all social media pages, has long been the first port of call for families from the Stirling area and beyond.
It is an official stockist of a number of big name brands including Mamas and Papas.
Days after announcing a half-price 'furniture clearance sale', claiming it was to make way for new stock, it told customers via Facebook that it was ceasing trading.
The post read: 'To all our amazing customers, after pouring our hearts into this business it's incredibly difficult to now share that we are closed and going into liquidation.
'Running a physical store in recent years has been more challenging than ever – from the rapid growth of online shopping and price cutting, people increasingly using us just as a showroom for buying online, to the rising costs of rent, utilities, supplies and operations.
'Despite our best efforts, these pressures became too much to bear.'
It continued: 'This decision hasn't come easily, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you to every one of you who walked through our doors, supported us, and believed in what we were doing.'
Staff at the store at Stirling's Enterprise Park (STEP) found out they were losing their jobs the day the shop announced it was closing.
Stirling Pram claimed its 'appointed insolvency practitioners' would be in touch with existing customers to provide 'more details on next steps'.
However, angry customers are yet to hear a thing.
Marie Watts said online: 'Absolutely fuming, ordered pram, changing unit and other stuff from Stirling Pram in Stirling.
'Paid quite a bit in deposits, only to find out when I tried to contact them they'd gone into administration.
'We're lucky, if we can't get a refund from bank… but for some, they've given their money thinking they're giving their unborn child the best and are left with nothing.'
Karen Speirs, who runs Mam's Melts, said: 'I am very sorry to hear about your shop closing.
'But I'm also very angry as I've have bought and fully paid for my daughter's pram for her first baby, which is currently being held in your store for us until nearer baby's due date.
'I am absolutely disgusted and my daughter at 10 weeks to go certainly does not need this stress of now knowing we have no pram or money to buy another one.'
Grandmother Dawn Haddow, whose daughter paid for items in cash, said: 'So the Stirling pram centre has gone into liquidation and Kelsey has lost over £1000! Not been contacted or nothing.
'How could these people do this, still taking money up until the day it closed.'
Christine Stevenson added: 'My daughter has paid £500 to a pram and won't get a penny back.'
The Courier has learned Stirling Pram, which recently moved to new premises, was put up for sale 10 months ago.
The sale listing described it as a 'well established business, which has been under the same ownership since 2013', with a £650,000 annual turnover.
It said it was a 'turnkey operation', which had a loyal customer base, large product range and expansion potential.
The post by the Business Partnership added that the 'thriving business' was now available for sale because 'the current owner seeks to pursue other business interests further afield'.
The Courier has approached Stirling Pram for comment.
