A High Street shop that had to close for 18 months of major repairs has reopened at long last.
The Sue Ryder charity shop on the Swindon borough's outskirts shut in December 2021 due to a serious safety issue with its floorboards.
At the time, a volunteer suggested in a Facebook post that someone had injured her leg by falling through the floor, and that fixing the flooring would cost up to £100,000.
The Highworth store welcomed customers back inside earlier this month and held an official grand opening last weekend.
Manager Kate Adams said: "It's nice to be back and see our regular customers again. They were beginning to think we would never reopen because the repairs were a bigger job than expected.
"They fixed the rotten floorboards in the back and then found something else to fix. It's an old building and hadn't had work done on it for a long time.
"The decorating was carried out last month and now the place looks clean and fresh and inviting for our volunteers and customers.
"We have had such lovely comments about how the shop looks, it's good for people to see the difference."
Mary Pattinson, a volunteer who has been part of the team for 20 years, cut the ribbon.
While repairs were underway, Kate worked at the charity's Old Town branch and brought some of the volunteers along with her.
Kate added: "We're a great team who all love the shop and the atmosphere and meeting people.
"I've been here nine years and love my job, I never get that Monday morning feeling, it's a lovely place to work.
"It was really tough when the shop was closed but we kept in contact with each other, that was really important for us.
"Now it looks better than ever and completely different - the flooring, the layout, the front windows, the signage, it's great."
Sue Ryder offers palliative, neurological, and bereavement support to people going through difficult times in their lives.
A spokesman for the charity said: "Every sale helps us to be there when it matters for the people we care for, while giving a new life to the pre-loved items and helping the environment.
"We want to find creative and innovative ways to make the most of items you generously donate to our shops, to continue reducing, reusing and recycling, in-store and online.
"You can help us to make a difference."
Visit www.sueryder.org
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