A MUCH-loved Scrapstore in North Somerset is set to close for good after nearly 13 years of service.
North Somerset Scrapstore, located at 66 Gazelle Road, Weston-super-Mare, has announced it will shut permanently in July due to rising costs and difficulties securing funding.
The closure marks the end of more than a decade spent supporting the community by providing affordable recycled materials for creative and educational use.
Laura Jones, Scrapstore manager, said: "It’s with huge sadness that we need to inform you that the community Scrapstore will be shutting its doors for good in July.
"As with many other community organisations, our costs have continued to rise, funding is harder and harder to find and so, sad as it is, we’ve decided it’s time to call it a day."
Ms Jones said the team had delayed sharing the news in the hope that a solution could be found, but ultimately concluded closure was unavoidable.
She thanked the community for their support and reflected on the friendships and memories built over the years.
Ms Jones said: "It has been an absolute honour to serve our community here in North Somerset for almost 13 years and many of you have become not just customers but friends over the years.
"We have loved watching families grow, events established and groups formed; we’ve loved seeking resources to support you, and the variety of activities we’ve been able to support has inspired us to carry on year after year.
"It’s been an absolute pleasure to see our community committed to increasing its reuse and inspire new generations to think creatively when planning their offerings."
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She also thanked supporters and partners, including the Quartet Community Foundation and the North Somerset Community Partnership Fund, whose backing enabled the project to grow and thrive.
The closure also marks the end of years of hard work by the charity’s trustees and volunteers, whose commitment ensured the Scrapstore could operate week in and week out.
Ms Jones said: "Huge credit must go to the incredible group of volunteers who have literally dedicated hundreds and hundreds of hours every year to ensure we are open week in and week out, and without their continued commitment and friendly, helpful and joyous personalities we simply wouldn’t have existed at all.
"Their hardwork will never be forgotten."
She added that she would deeply miss the community built around the Scrapstore and hoped to keep in touch with supporters.
There is no confirmed closing date yet, but the team is inviting people to visit soon to make use of remaining resources before the doors close for good.
No membership is required during this final period, and the Scrapstore remains open to everyone, though usual donations still apply to help cover remaining bills.
In the coming weeks, the team will work with other Scrapstores to help rehome any leftover materials.
Ms Jones described the closure as deeply emotional, saying the Scrapstore and its community had been a 'huge part' of her life.
She hopes supporters will visit soon to collect resources and share memories before the team says its final goodbye.
A few workshops booked for early July will still go ahead as scheduled.
