29/11/2022
Shopmobility no longer financially viable
It is with considerable regret and sadness that Compass Disability Services have had to inform Somerset West and Taunton Council, that they can no longer viably provide the Shopmobility service based in the Orchard Shopping Centre car park in Taunton.
Compass Disability Services saved Shopmobility from the brink of closure in 2015 when Taunton Deane Borough Council were looking to significantly reduce their contribution to the service.
Shopmobility has seen a huge impact on the service since Covid and rental income reduce by 80% since before Covid, which we believe is due to customers still not wishing to fully engage within the community, the change in shopping habits for all people in the community to online and the reduction in the cost of scooters, in particular those that fold and fit in a car boot, making them more affordable so fewer people require hires.
The main way in which Compass Disability Service had filled the financial gap was through the donation of scooters which could be re furbished and resold alongside the servicing of scooters. Unfortunately these two areas are very sporadic and do not give any certainty to income over the year. In the past 2 years we have taken this gamble but in the current climate we do not feel that the charity is in a position to take these chances and cannot be left at the end of the year with a service that has not covered is cost.
Over the years we have been thankful to the council for the grants we have received each year and these have generally topped up the short fall on a monthly basis throughout the year, however this year we have found that this grant has already been used due to the low rentals and lack of scooter sells.
Richard Pitman, CEO said “As a charity we are very sad to have had to make this decision but these are very different and difficult times".
