Dancers, Halesowen: Closure prompts "use it or lose it" plea

Halesowen BID (Business Improvement District) is gutted after 144-year-old Dancers announced it will close in December and is appealing for people to get behind local stores. 

The shop on Peckingham Street has blamed its impending closure on a rise in costs and customers moving to online shopping.

BID manager Vicky Rogers said the family had played a key role in the community over the years, so much so that they have become an "institution" in the town. 

She is appealing for people to back their local traders. 

Halesowen BID manager Vicky Rogers (Image: Handout)

Vicky said: "High Streets are struggling more than ever and Halesowen is no exception…we all need to emphasis the importance of shopping local and that if you don’t use it you lose it."

She added: "The closure of Dancers is catastrophic to Halesowen.

"The Dancer family have been stalwarts for over 144 years and have become an institution in our town centre.

"The shop have supplied suits and uniforms to many of the families in our community but understandably they can not continue to compete with online outlets and supermarket prices.

"The rise in overheads is worrying for any business on the High Street and Dancers are sure to have seen many changes over the years including the recession and more recently the COVID pandemic.

"Not only are Dancers a trading shop but the building is a landmark in the town centre, I remember my own dad telling stories that he would meet his friends on the corner by Dancers when he was young.

"The family-run business have given so much back to Halesowen through their involvement with Halesowen BID and Halesowen in Bloom and their efforts have never gone unnoticed, their corporate social responsibly has always been second to none.

"It goes without saying how much we will miss Dancers being part of our business community here in Halesowen and knowing the family appreciate how hard this decision must have been.

"Halesowen, as with every town, has been hit with challenge upon challenge over the past few years, the loss of multi-nationals as well as independents, leaving empty units is not good for the local economy and now we have the newly implemented car parking charges which could be the final nail in the coffin for so many businesses.

"We need support to drive footfall to town centres rather than drive people away."