Raw Juice

Statement from Plaid Cymru councillor Marc Jones:

"All new businesses are a huge commitment and many fail despite the best of intentions.
That's why I've been supportive of Raw Juice on Rhosddu Road since it opened last year. Small businesses often survive on the hard work, enthusiasm and willpower of those who set it up.
"Leanne and Gareth put heart and soul into it because they believed in promoting healthy food and eating well. It was a first in Wrexham and I was delighted to see the old post office, which had also been a gym, turned into a compact but bright and attractive shop on our main road.
"I’m not exactly the target audience but the juices I tried were delicious and there was a small but very passionate and loyal clientele developing around the fledgling business. So I’m devastated that they’re talking of closing the door.
"For some months they’ve been in dispute with the council over descriptions and names of some products and that culminated in an interview under caution for breaching food regulations on health claims and names. The owners say that has contributed to the decision to close.
"At a time of growing concern about obesity, a crisis of diabetes and unhealthy eating, Raw Juice offered an innovative alternative to the fast-food takeaways in our town.
"Its closure begs many questions about how we as a society can permit fast food restaurants to sell kids unhealthy meals while penalising juice bars using raw fruit and vegetables.
"I won’t criticise the council’s staff - they have a job to do and work to regulations that large multinationals can operate within. But these regulations can ensnare small enterprises without the big budgets, glossy marketing and slick legal departments of the big chains. There are also inconsistencies in applying regulations in different council areas that have confused matters.
"So we have to think again about how we support small new enterprises, which are the future of our town’s retail sector. I hope Gareth and Leanne think again and Raw Juice stays open - for the good of Wrexham."