Poison pen letter hoping the store 'fails' has the opposite effect | British news


Kreate was stunned when they found the letter in their mail (Photo: Jam Press)

a charity store that received an anonymous hate letter accusing them of selling 'trendy tat' has seen a boost in sales after the letter went viral.

Staff at Kreate, which sells cards and homemade home decor, were left stunned when they received the hateful letter which also stated they had 'Blackpool style trinkets' for sale.

The store, based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, offers work experience to adults with learning disabilities – using the income to invest in charity work.

But this weekend the owners were shocked to receive an anonymous letter, riddled with spelling errors, saying they hoped the store 'failed'.

The letter, written in black ink, claims to be from a community group.

The letter said: 'We do not seek to encourage charity shops in the area or shops selling Blackpool style trinkets.


Ruth holds the letter, which has sparked anger. Kreate manager Ruth Denton, 37, received a letter calling for that charity to close, pictured in Kreate Charity, South Yorks, May 8, 2024. A ???nasty??? poison pen letter calling for a charity shop to ???shutter??? has boosted the store's trading - after it was posted on social media. The nasty note to Kreate, a homewares store that gives work experience to adults with learning disabilities, said it was 'not welcome' and 'would probably be'. fail'. But when manager Ruth Denton shared the handwritten message on Facebook, hundreds of well-wishers expressed their support for the store in Sheffield, South Yorks. And she now says they've had people from as far away as America make plans to visit - while he added that the letter had helped put the store
Ruth was stunned when she received the handwritten letter (Picture: SWNS)

The shop sells cards and homemade home decor (Photo: Jam Press)
The shop sells cards and homemade home decor (Photo: Jam Press)

It also offers work experience for adults with learning disabilities (Photo: Jam Press)
It also offers work experience for adults with learning disabilities (Photo: Jam Press)

'A lot of companies are needed for communities [sic] have failed and I hope yours does too. Another gray painted trendy branch [sic], soon there will be a countdown for you. Shutters will be permanent [sic] down.'

The letter was addressed to 'the owner' and signed from 'Residents Unite (Bocking Lane)'.

Owner, Ruth Denton, 37, shared the note on Facebook, saying: 'Happy Saturday to us. It's just a shame that people don't do their research properly.

“Thank you to the kind person who took the time to write this and send it second class.”

The letter went viral online and prompted some locals to comment in their messages of support, boosting the charity's store despite the hateful letter.

Local Richard Bayne said: 'I'm really glad they wrote this letter as I didn't know you were there.

“And now that I do, I look forward to visiting and supporting your wonderful charity.”

Another added: 'I'm so glad you posted this. I've never heard of your store before, but I'm definitely going to drop by now.'

Residents of a small town in Wales were stunned when they did so received a similar hate letter in Januaryand told them to go back to 'Brummyland'.

That letter even went so far as to say that residents should be “forced to live in fenced craft yards.”

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