Murrurundi shop Stone & Co closes doors

Stone & Co Vintage Interiors wrapped up its last day of shopfront trading on Friday, the family-owned business citing pressures from the shire council as the major factor in the decision.

Abbie Stone posted a tearful video to Facebook mid-month, thanking supporters for their offers of petitions and media coverage to help keep the doors open.

"While we really, really do thank you, we're done fighting ... We've been dealing with this for two-and-a-half years," she said.

The sticking point has been fire safety standards, which the council said were in place "to protect staff, customers and surrounding properties".

The council had issued a "notice of intention", meaning that without further negotiations on when and how the business would meet the standards, the next step would be an order to close.

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An Upper Hunter Shire Council spokesperson said it would not comment on a specific business, but "we are obliged to enforce the laws".

"In order to open for trade, commercial premises (such as shops) are required to comply with NSW and Australian planning and building laws ...

"When the owner of a commercial premises fails to comply with these laws, council tries to work with the owner - in some cases over years - to address the non-compliances."

Ms Stone told Australian Community Media the family had "been in negotiations with council for two years".

"It's been an ongoing process to try to meet their requirements and we haven't been able to meet what they want in the time frame they wanted."

Shire councillor Joshua Brown, whom Ms Stone credited with advocating on the business's behalf, said he was "really disappointed that this situation ever arose and that it has led to the decision to close a much-loved store in a town that is struggling with so much at the moment".

"Stone & Co is a great business and has brought so many visitors to Murrurundi over the years, and with them a significant boost to other businesses and the local economy," Cr Brown said.

"The loss of Stone & Co will have a devastating impact on its staff and a flow-on effect for many other of Murrurundi's businesses.

"I am worried that the worst of this impact is yet to come, and at a time when our town is doing it so tough.

"I wish Sue and John the very best as they move towards a new business model and just hope that we can convince them to resume trading in Murrurundi."

Sue Stone, husband John Cockburn, daughter Abbie Stone and son-in-law Adam Ahmad started working on the restoration and new life of the rundown Tattersalls Hotel in about early 2017.

The intention then was to convert it into a shop, art and craft studio, family home and guest rooms.

Stone & Co would continue online and at events, Ms Stone said, and she vowed the restoration work would be finished: "We are not going to just close the doors and walk away."