New shop gives new life to old furniture (From Sutton Guardian)

New Vine Project shop gives new life to old furniture in Sutton

11:30am Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News By Mike Pyle

A shop which gives a new life to old furniture and helps people in need has opened in a prime location.

The Vine Project has opened a shop in Sutton's St Nicholas centre. The project works by taking old, unwanted furniture and either restoring it or breaking it down for parts.

The shop, which opened last month, sells the reconditioned furniture at budget prices for those who might not ordinarily be able to afford it and has already had hundreds of customers.

Monica Tyler, the projects chief executive, said: "We are the only project of this kind in Sutton. There’s a real need for this service to help alleviate the effects of poverty. It helps to reuse resources that would otherwise be wasted and assists in regenerating communities."

The Vine Project, based in Mitcham, works closely with Sutton Council and runs a service which collects bulky waste from people's houses.

Councillor Colin Hall, deputy leader of Sutton Council, said: "We are very pleased to see The Vine Project moving into the heart of the borough. We have been working with them for some time and hope to expand that in the future.

"It is a value-for-money service which is increasingly useful in this tough economic climate and it also does excellent work in providing work opportunities and reducing landfill."