OWNERS of an iconic Welsh language shop in Aberystwyth have spoken of their fears for the future after the last two years left the high street ‘unrecognisable’.

Siop Y Pethe has been a staple of Aberystwyth town centre for over 50 years and has been run by Aled Rees since 2015.

Despite its rich history, Mr Rees has been forced to take to social media to express the “dire situation” they find themselves in, following two years of pandemic struggles causing revenue difficulties .

Speaking to the Cambrian News, Mr Rees said: “Shopping has changed unimaginably over the last two years, looking back at the shop two years ago, today is almost unrecognisable.

“We used to get a lot of browsing in store but some days we’re making £50 and having to pay staff £80.”

“There’s no need to be Einstein to realise what this means.

“Things may of course change, more people could come through the door as things get better with the pandemic, but will it be enough?

“We are conscious of what this would mean to Aberystwyth and our hearts say that we should fight through things and things could get better.

“But after the worst two years for the high street our heads are saying things will not change that quickly.”

Siop Y Pethe is not a standalone case however, much of the high street has made headlines due to its declining figures.

Mr Rees went on to say: “I wanted to speak out on behalf of many high street shops.

“People need to hear about the difficulty that shops are experiencing following the pandemic and the change in people’s shopping habits.”

Despite these issues however, Mr Rees has been incredibly vocal about his appreciation for the support he and the shop have received over since the post was uploaded.

He said: “It’s a gloomy time but there has been a glimmer of hope thanks to the support we’ve received online and by those coming into the shop.

“People have offered so many ideas and supportive words and we’ve even had some people take an interest in renting our upstairs space.”

While there has been some worry about the future of the shop, Mr Rees says he is certain that “the name Siop Y Pethe is here to stay in some form or another”, seeking to continue the shop’s rich history.

Established in 1967, Siop Y Pethe was the first Welsh language shop, selling books, music and Welsh greeting cards.