Charity shop owner left 'gobsmacked' after receiving badly written poison pen letter wishing their demise for selling 'Blackpool style trinkets'
- Ruth Denton, owner of Kreate in Sheffield, was shocked after opening the note
A charity shop owner has been left 'gobsmacked' after receiving a badly written poison pen letter which wished their demise for selling 'Blackpool-style trinkets'.
The angry error-strewn note sent to social enterprise Kreate expressed hope the store in Sheffield would 'fail', adding: 'Soon be countdown for you. Shutters will be permantley [sic] down.'
The anonymous letter, riddled with bad grammar and spelling mistakes, was posted to the shop on Saturday and went viral after being shared online.
Shop manager Ruth Denton, 37, said she was left 'gobsmacked' after opening the letter, signed off by a seemingly fictitious group called Residents Unite (Bocking Lane).
Kreate, located in the Beauchief area of the city, opened in November to provide work experience for adults with learning difficulties, with the income from products invested in charity work.
Charity shop owner Ruth Denton, who has been left 'gobsmacked' after receiving a badly written poison pen letter which wished their demise for selling 'Blackpool-style trinkets'
This angry error-strewn note sent to social enterprise Kreate expressed hope the store in Sheffield would 'fail'
A general view of the Kreate charity shop in Hutcliffe Wood Road in Beauchief, which currently has scaffolding outside for much needed work
Mother-of-three Ruth said: 'I wasn't going to open it, but the envelope looked a little bit suspicious because of the scruffy handwriting and how it was addressed to 'The Owner'.
'I literally couldn't believe what I read. I was gobsmacked. I just thought 'is this what people really think of us?'.
'For a few hours I was really upset. Then I started to find it funny - because whoever wrote it has no idea about what we do here.
'They've clearly never set foot in the shop because what they've written makes no sense at all.
'I don't know if they've got a genuine grudge against us, or if they might not be the full shilling - but it's just taken us all aback.
'I can't understand what they would have against us.'
The letter, sent with a second-class stamp and postmarked in Sheffield, read: 'To the owner. Just a note from neighbourhood watch not to welcome you. The opposite.
Ruth, seen here reading the letter, was left 'gobsmacked' after opening it and was signed off by a seemingly fictitious group called Residents Unite (Bocking Lane)
Some of the things on sale in the shop such as the cards, mini houses, wooden stars and wooden flowers are made by students that attend the charity
These miniature houses feature as some of the many hand made items in the shop
The items in the shop, such as these colourful mugs, were described in the letter as 'Blackpool-style trinkets'
'We try not to encourage Charity Shops Round the Area or shops selling Blackpool style Trinkets.
'A lot of buisnesses [sic] needed by comunitys [sic] have failed and I hope yours does too.
'another grey painted trendy Tak [sic], soon be countdown for you. Shutters will be permantley [sic] down.'
Locals have rallied behind the shop after the letter was posted on Facebook where it has been shared hundreds of times.
Ruth said: 'We've had people who have coming today who live on Bocking Lane who are raging. One lady was quite angry and insistent that it wasn't the opinion of residents.
'Another guy from Bocking Lane said he has his suspicions of who it was. But to be honest, I don't want to know who it is.
'At the end of the day, even if this person had written their name, it wouldn't stop us from what we're doing here.
'I know this person clearly doesn't like us but I think it's probably for the best that we don't know who they are.
'What they've said has only made us more determined to make Kreate a success.
'Everything they've done has worked in our favour. The letter has gone viral and people across the country - not just in the local area - are now aware of what we're doing.
Ruth Denton pictured outside the Kreate shop in Sheffield
Mother-of-three Ruth pictured sitting behinf the checkout of the store
Jean Nowell-Eyre. 80, visited the shop today to show her support for the charity and workers
This trio of flower decorations are sold inside the shop alongside a number of quality homeware and gifts
'We've had enquiries from Scotland and messages from America. The letter has had the opposite effect of what that person wanted to achieve, so more fool them.
'They clearly don't have a clue about what we do.'
Kreate is part of the Sheffield charity Work Ltd, which helps people with learning difficulties.
They are able to work in the Scandi-style shop, which sells quality homeware and gifts, to gain retail experience.
Ruth continued: 'We've poured our hearts and souls into this place to make it what it is. We do not sell Blackpool-style trinkets. The response from people who have come in the shop since we opened in November has been great.
'The locals love it. The response has been great. Maybe this person just hasn't bothered to work out what we are.
'We're not just a shop. We do this for the students.'
Celebrant Fiona Smith, 64, popped into Kreate to buy a pair of earrings as a show of support over the 'vile' letter.
She said: 'I don't know if they've got a bee in their bonnet or just too much time on their hands. It's just dreadful. These guys do an amazing job. Why would people say such vile things about such a wonderful charity.
'The people who work here have feelings. Whoever has written that letter, I've got one word for them - 'karma'.'
Natalie Simmonite, 51, who works at the nearby Forge Bakehouse, added: 'The letter is disgusting. It's not a reflection on what they do and what they sell. They've got good quality stock in the shop - it's not Blackpool trinkets at all.
Fiona Smith, 64, popped in the shop today and said she was disgusted by the letter and bought some earrings on her visit
Some of the things on sale at the Kreate shop are pictured on shelves. They include quality gifts such as the cards, mini houses, wooden stars and wooden flowers
Natalie Simmonite, 51, who works in the Forge Bakehouse on the same street was shocked and loves the shop and everything is does for charity
'When I read the letter, I just thought that the writer clearly has never been to the shop. The ladies who work there are so passionate about what they do. They're an asset to the area.
'What does this person prefer? Shuttered-up shops? I'm just flabbergasted by it. Shops make a community. We're crying out for things like Kreate around here. There's not a lot around here and what they sell is unique. I love going in there.'
Jean Nowell-Eyre, 80, whose granddaughter Holly Webber accesses Work Ltd's services twice a week, said: 'I think it's somebody who's got problems. I wouldn't want any fallout from this to damage local people's understanding of what the shop is doing.
'It's a very positive thing that's happening here in Sheffield and the last thing we need is for that to be damaged by an anonymous letter-writer.'
