As 2025 draws to a close, Kendal’s high street has seen a raft of changes from new arrivals to sad departures.
The economic challenges facing many businesses, from pubs to high street shops, have been well documented this year.
Many businesses cited increases to labour costs, energy bills, and employers’ national insurance contributions as factors in struggling to maintain their operations.
Kendal, which was highlighted by the Daily Express back in August for its amazing mass of independent businesses, has not been exempt from these challenges.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. We at The Westmorland Gazette thought we’d put together a list of some of those new businesses which appeared on Kendal’s high street this year, as well as those which sadly left.
New arrivals
Spinning Jennies farm shop opened its doors at the site of the old Beales department store on Finkle Street in April.
Bombay Bistro, Stramongate, held its grand opening back in June to great success, offering ‘authentic flavours and a vibrant atmosphere’.
Whilst Biltong Buddy, which aims to bring “the taste of South Africa to Cumbria”, opened its doors to shoppers at their new premises at 53 Highgate for the first time in October.
Furthermore, The Moon, a pasta and pizza bar, rebranded to La Luna in June, and one the town’s most loved pubs, the George and Dragon, welcomed new landlady Lisa McKinney in November.
And only this month has a new business opened in Kendal: Craig Travel.
The independent travel agent wants to focus on being ‘shop-facing’, it told The Gazette.
Departures
Sadly, 2025 and the economic climate, amongst other reasons too, has taken its toll on some of Kendal’s businesses.
In March, Maya Maya clothing store, located at Dockray Hall, closed its bricks and mortar shop.
Scope charity shop also closed its Kendal store earlier this year, which was due to the business becoming unsustainable.
In the Autumn, the town’s Bodycare shop shut down because the business entered administration.
And in November, the independent high street retailer Jules B closed its Menswear and Ladieswear stores at short notice, much to the surprise of many.
Julian Blades, the co-owner and co-founder of Jules B, said that it closed the stores to focus on its online business.
This was directly due to the ‘challenging economic climate’ of the times.
This month, the clothing store Klass, located in the Westmorland Shopping Centre, stopped trading, and About Time Espresso Bar closed on New Shambles.
Although 2025 has seen a lot of sad farewells on Kendal’s streets, positives in some of the businesses that have opened must be taken. Here’s to welcoming more in 2026!
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