A popular Carsluith-based seafood retailer has announced that its online store is to close.
Ferry Fish said a “perfect storm” of adverse economic conditions had left the company with no other option.
Directors Wyllie McCulloch, wife Linda and daughter Kirsty have informed customers the service will close on February 17.
The decision means the firm’s distinctive blue and white refrigerated delivery vans will no longer be seen across the region.
Speaking jointly to the News, Wyllie, Linda and Kirsty reported business being “like Christmas” as customers placed orders ahead of the shutdown.
They said: “This has been a very difficult time for us. Unfortunately, it has been the perfect storm of Brexit creating a lot of new red tape and driving up the cost of fish overall.
“Fish prices have risen in some cases by 100 per cent within 12 months, our electricity has gone up from £8,500 a year to £24,500 and fuel bills for our five delivery vans have nearly doubled.
“Making our own ready-to-eat products was our way of combating some of the issues and increasing our margin again.
“Then we were hit by environmental health red tape, each product requires testing every three months and the costs involved in this are unsustainable.”
Other negative factors influencing the closure decision included rocketing packaging costs and new taxes on polystyrene and plastic.
Wyllie, Linda and Kirsty said: “The price of a small cardboard box has jumped from £0.36 to £1.39 and for a medium delivery box from £0.65 to £2.20 in the space of 12 months.
“We changed to paper delivery bags and then we got hit with the new Scottish government plastic tax.
“We appreciate that our loyal customers themselves are under pressure from the cost of living and have less to spend.
“So this decision is not one that has been made lightly.
“The business has been going for 38 years. But costs are just getting out of control.
“I honestly don’t know how a lot of small to medium sized firms are expected to survive through this.
“I would like to thank all our customers for their support over the years.”
They added: “One of the most frustrating things was completely changing the business overnight to supply customers during Covid times.
“Yet we never took any handouts or payouts from the government and worked round the clock seven days a week. But now that businesses are struggling there appears to be no help from government.
“Now it’s about making sure all the staff are able to find new jobs.”
Hundreds of customers expressed sorrow at the news on social media.
However, Wyllie and Linda will continue selling fish every Friday through their pop up shop in Castle Douglas.
