Most people at some point in their lives have donated or bought items at charity shops.

News about the Douglas Oxfam store, which is to close its doors after 30 years, has prompted us to ask residents whether they believe bargain hunting at these shops is coming to an end.

Onchan resident Abby Wakefield, 27, said: ’I go to the Onchan one about once a week and take the kids with me. You get some great stuff in there, like designer clothes.

’If my kids find something they like, we’ll buy it. They give their stuff up and send it to the charity shop to be reused. I went to one in Peel recently but it was full of stuff you wouldn’t really buy. The ones in Douglas are a bit hit and miss.’

She added that she found Oxfam ’quite expensive’, but says she likes that they have hired people with disabilities.

’My son has severe ADHD, anxiety and learning difficulties,’ she said. ’It proves to him that life doesn’t stop just because you have a disability.’

Laura Wynne, 29, from Union Mills, said: ’I tend to donate more than buy. It can be anything from books, DVDs, clothes to furniture. I donated a three piece suite a few years ago to the British Heart Foundation. If people aren’t buying it there’s no point unless charity shops are able to sell it on.’

She thinks online shopping would make it harder for charity shops to sell. Laura added: ’Especially in the island, generally shops here do quite well to stay open.’

Robert and Regina Ripamonti, 67 and 55 respectively, from Crosby, say their family is keen on charity shopping.

Regina said: ’My youngest son, who is 22, and his friend are constantly going to charity shops because they’re into retro stuff - these are young kids!

’I often look for special things people tend to wear once, like ball gowns, which are in perfect condition and are a cheap price. I have four sons who have been getting married all within months of one another and so I was looking for fascinators in the normal shops, but I didn’t find any I liked. I looked in charity stores and found one that was perfect.’

Her husband Robert added the location of the Oxfam shop may be another reason for it not profiting enough, as it’s ’not in the central area’ of Strand Street, Douglas.

Rex Fargher, 34, from Douglas, said: ’I donate a lot. I’ve got four bags in my room right now that I need to sent to charity. I usually drop things off at Crossroads because it’s convenient as I don’t live that far from the shop. I know Crossroads does a lot of good work.’

Lindsey Kelsall, 30, from Laxey said: ’I go to charity shops all the time. I absolutely love them! I’m planning with friends to go around them all and I’m also going to do a sweep of the stores across. It’s a good way of trying different things out and not spending too much, like re-working an old man’s sweater.’

’The Oxfam shop here I find a little more expensive than the rest. I understand that some shops have to put their prices up to survive.’

Her friend Juan Walters, 58, from Douglas said: ’I think a lot of the stigma attached to charity shops is going now. The shops are doing a more modern approach and it’s working.’

He thinks there is a trend of people buying more used items and not wasting them.