AN APPRENTICE star has announced the closure of one of his stores despite bringing in £100,000 a year.
The former contestant shared a video on social media saying that his business is one of many that are currently struggling financially.
Paul Bowen, who starred in the 2024 edition of the show, also called out Prime Minister Andy Burnham and argued that more needed to be done to protect businesses.
In a post on Facebook, he said that his Bowen’s Pies shop in Market Street in Chorley will close permanently on Saturday (September 26).
He insisted that keeping it open was simply “unsustainable,” adding that this is becoming “an absolute scene” in many towns across the UK.
Chowley said: “Andy Burnham, this one’s for you if you’re listening. I’m closing my store here in Chorley – I can’t afford to keep it going.
“It’s a small store. Two years ago it was fine, ticking over, I simply can’t afford it. But it’s not just me, is it, Andy?”
Explaining the many closures in his community, Chowley continued: “Empty shop, family butchers closed, another empty shop, would you believe it? Another vacant shop…well, well, well another ‘to let’ sign.
“This is becoming an absolute scene in our town, in your town, in everybody else’s town. Andy, you’re not listening, everybody’s closing. Businesses are closing.
“If you just took 10 of those empty stores and let survive and each of those stores employed four people, just on minimum wage, it would create £1million alone, just in Chorley.
“Have a really hard think – you need to change now to let businesses survive.”
Other social media users agreed with Chowley and called on the government to do more to ensure that businesses could survive.