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York store shuts suddenly – Owners say markets and location partly to blame

Thu 25 Apr, 2024 by YorkMix

The shutters have come down. Photographs: Richard McDougall

Filed Under: News

A York store – the first of its kind in the UK – has closed after just six months.

Project D sold doughnuts from its bright pink shop on Parliament Street.

For its grand opening last October, a long queue formed outside as people were eager to snap up a first-day giveaway of 500 doughnuts.

Project D opened in October

It was the first bricks-and-mortar store by the Project D team, based in Derby. Three friends started the business at the kitchen table, before the brand took off online.

One reason they chose York for their first store was because the city was among the top areas for their online sales and pop-up events.

Co-founder Max Poynton confirmed to YorkMix that they had shut the Parliament Street store permanently.

@theyorkmix

Project D opened on Parliament Street today – and were giving away free doughnuts to the first 500 customers! Did you get one? 🍩 @Project Doughnut #York #YorkMix #ProjectD #ProjectDoughnut #Doughnut

♬ Positive Vibes – Soundbeaver

He said: “The decision was primarily influenced by several factors related to the seasonal nature of York and various logistical challenges.”

Max said these were:

  • Seasonality: “York seems to be a seasonal place, with fluctuating foot traffic and sales. While we’ve had fantastic weeks, we’ve also experienced periods of slow business, making it challenging to sustain operations consistently.”
  • Impact of markets and events: “Our trade is significantly impacted by the major markets and events on the square. While these events bring in increased foot traffic, they also create direct competition and we have no control over this.”
  • Logistical issues: “Delivering from our bakery in Derby posed logistical challenges, affecting our ability to maintain consistent product availability and quality.”
  • Location challenges: “Additionally, our location on Parliament Street presented challenges, being on the ‘wrong’ side of the road for optimal foot traffic and visibility.”

“Unfortunately, this closure did result in the loss of some jobs, and we deeply regret any impact this may have had on our employees,” Max said.

“We have managed to successfully transfer one colleague from the York store to our event team.

“We are exploring other opportunities and avenues for our business in York, but as of now, we do not have any immediate plans for reopening a physical store in the area.”


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