A HELENSBURGH wine seller has issued an update after the closure of one of its stores.
Ellie's Cellar and The Bottle Shop has announced that it intends to step away from the town premises by the end of June.
The shock news comes a week after owners Ellie and Gordon made the tough decision to shut the doors on their Crieff store due to "rising costs".
It is hoped that the current manager Richard could take on the shop in Colquhoun Square, but the business confirmed a final decision has not yet been made.
The owners added that the Helensburgh store will remain "open and trading as normal" until then, and urged customers to keep shopping local.
In a statement online, they said: "We’re aware there’s been a bit of chat locally that we’re closing our Helensburgh doors, so we just wanted to clear things up properly.
"But what is true is that, after a lot of thought, we have made the difficult decision that Ellie’s Cellar will eventually be stepping away from our Helensburgh shop, with a view to removing ourselves towards the end of June.
"We’re hopeful this might not be the end of the shop itself, as we are exploring the possibility of Richard, our manager, of taking it on with his years of experience.
"Nothing is confirmed just yet, but we’re hopeful that we will be able to provide a smooth transition with no closure to the store itself.
"For now, it’s very much business as usual, and we’d love to see you in store over the coming weeks.
"In saying that - If there’s one thing this whole situation highlights, it’s how much small, local shops rely on your support.
"Even the odd bottle here and there and small swaps to your locals stores really does make a difference, and it’s what keeps places like ours going."
They also revealed that their other stores in Auchterarder, Dollar, and Alva will remain open.
Customers have shared their hopes for the future of the Helensburgh store.
Graham Cordner said: "What a shame if the shop had to close - hopefully Richard will be able to take it on and keep it running."
And Lynn Robertson added: "I really hope you can stay open - it would be such a loss."
For more information visit Ellie's Cellar and The Bottle Shop on Facebook.
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