Hundreds of people have signed a petition in support of Yorkshire-based designer brand Ushiwear after plans for its new store front were rejected by councillors last week.
The petition, which gathered over 600 signatures in its first 24 hours, calls for Kirklees council planners to reconsider their decision to reject proposals for a revamp of the brand’s Mirfield shopfront.
Ushiwear had submitted plans that would see the front of the stone building clad in high quality vertical timber panels, an integral part of the growing brand’s re-launch.
Despite there being no local community objections and support from the local Mirfield Town Council, councillors rejected the plan, stating the proposed look would be ‘out of character’ in the Lower Hopton area of Mirfield.
But the Ushiwear team stay convinced that the bespoke cladding will vastly improve the appearance of the building, helping to elevate the local neighbourhood, making it more attractive to other edgy brands in the region.
Neil Kapusi, Co-Founder of Ushiwear said: “The building will be Ushiwear’s flagship store and will attract customers from all corners of Yorkshire. This is an area that is crying out for inward investment.
“The proposed cladding would undoubtedly improve the look of the building but it is also in keeping with our brand that already has broad and lasting appeal that goes way beyond Kirklees.
He added: “We worked very closely with our architects on the new look and passionately believe it will help to rejuvenate the Lower Hopton area. Many of the buildings nearby are in desperate need of repair and we see our new store front as a much-needed step in the right direction.
“So far there haven’t been any objections raised by the community and we see the refusal by Kirklees Council as an unnecessary obstacle in the way of rejuvenating the area and paving the way for other local businesses to invest. We were stunned by the decision that seems to be driven by personal taste rather than what could actually be great for Calder Road.”
The premises are currently being used as Ushiwear’s design studio, manufacturing and screen printing garments. The plan was to redevelop the space into a fully-functioning shop with displays and changing rooms, creating retail jobs into the bargain.
Many locals have been vocal in their support for the firm. On the Petition page site, Beverley Whitham said: “We have a local people in an already existing property that they are putting money in to improve – support them!”
Neil Bruce said: “We need to support local businesses and not put unnecessary obstacles in the way of progress and investment.”
The family-owned business was launched by Neil and his wife Jilly in 2008. Inspired by the family’s love of the outdoors, the Yorkshire business designs and manufactures high quality lifestyle wear and accessories.
The growing petition can be viewed at https://www.change.org/p/mirfield-matters-support-ushiwear-revamp-of-ushi-store
