CUSTOMERS of a charity shop were in tears after hearing it has been forced to close.

All for Love and Love for All (Alala) in Baker Street, Brighton, is to shut after ten years after struggling to cope with the aftermath of the pandemic.

Christine Le Nahedic, trustee founder for the charity, said: “It is quite emotional as much for us as for our customers to close our little shop.

“After the pandemic, our shop did not make enough sales to keep it open.

“We have created a little hub of comfort and love for people in our community. People drop in for a chat or a laugh, we give to the homeless and we never ask the elderly to pay for clothes or items if they can’t afford it.

“I did not realise how much our shop meant to the community. So many people have come in recently to share their sadness about the shop closing, and some of them have even shed tears.”

The Argus: Clothes and shoes at the charity shop are on sale for £1 as the store prepares to close downClothes and shoes at the charity shop are on sale for £1 as the store prepares to close down

Over the past decades, the charity has distributed over 5,000 meals to children living in the poorest conditions in parts of Africa and installed nine water wells to provide clean water to over 300,000 people.

Christine has been thinking about ways that she can continue to raise money to fund her “love mission”.

She said: “If 300 people could give just £1 a month, we could feed 500 children for a month in Africa or finance a water borehole after raising £1,300.

“This little shop is all I had for many years and I did my best, so any extra support now is gratefully accepted and received.”

Alala will close its doors for good on the last day of August.