The owner of a popular and well-respected arts and crafts shop in Chesham has admitted she ‘isn’t thinking about’ her official closing date as it will get her ‘upset’.

Hazel Hopkinson, 56, has been the proprietor of the Blue Haze since its inception in 2005, where she has served tens of thousands of customers during that time.

However, at the beginning of this month, she confirmed via the shop’s Facebook page that the store along Church Street will shut its doors for the final time on August 31.

This comes after she revealed he felt she was ‘working for the VAT man and those at HMRC’, rather than helping customers.

In a post that was shared on social media on August 6, the statement read: “We are sad to tell you that our little shop will be closing down on August 31.

“We have enjoyed over 19 years in trading, but unfortunately, there are so many reasons which find us making this tough decision.

“The decreased footfall to Chesham, and ever-increasing costs to make but a few.

“We have loved being part of the retail community and have become friends with many of our lovely customers, for which we are truly grateful.”

The inspiration for the shop began after Hazel was made redundant from her role as a project manager for a software company in the early 2000s.

And in July 2004, she was inspired by her husband to start the shop after he said a ‘throwaway comment’ about launching her own business.

Speaking to the Free Press, she said: “Not long after I was made redundant, I was sitting on the patio in my garden with my husband, talking about the future and he said, ‘you always say you’d love to own your arts and crafts shop – why don’t you do it?’

“So I started working on it and we officially opened Blue Haze in April 2005 and it’s been wonderful.

“I’ve seen children turn into adults still come to this shop and I’m proud to have played a part in their lives.

“When we announced that we closed, people came in to say how the shop played a huge part in their childhood, so I’m thinking about Saturday [the closing day], as I’ll get quite upset.

Hazel Hopkinson (pictured) has owned the business since April 2005Hazel Hopkinson (pictured) has owned the business since April 2005 (Image: Blue Hazel)

On why she is closing, he revealed: “There are many reasons as to why we are closing, but I just feel that the small businesses are working for the taxman.

“I think the straw that broke the camel's back was in April, when we were told that our monthly charge for using contact payments, would be daily.

“I don’t have an administrator so I’m locked away in the office doing the numbers, when I really should be out on the shop floor speaking and dealing with customers.

“Us little people don’t have that time sadly, as we’re only a small business.”

Finally, despite being 56, the entrepreneur plans to ‘detox, retire and do voluntary work’ in the near future, but if a small jobs comes her way, she ‘might consider taking something up’.