The owners of a zero waste refill shop in Leeds have begged the Leeds community to "use them or lose them" after a social media post they wrote asking for help went viral.

Leeds Refills Zero Waste Shop is at risk of closure due to lack of customers and a spate of vandalism allegedly from people doing the 'Otley Run', according to the post.

The shop is owned by Ian Thursfield 34 and Rachael Thursfield 29.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, the owners revealed the shop has only broken even once since November 2021.

In a "last throw of the dice", the owners asked customers to try their shop ahead of a decision on their break clause - with a risk of imminent closure amid the cost of living crisis.

The shop - in Headingley - is often passed by customers who walk on by according to the owners.

In the post, they said: "Sorry for the negative post but today I just need to let you all know what is going on...

"So this first photo is the image we see most of the day (no customers) and the conversation we hear most is:

"look a zero waste shop! How exciting!"

"Shall we pop in?"

"Nah"

"Then most weekends we are greeted with the sight in picture 2! (Why do Otley runners target our window with dirt?!?!)

"Interactions, shares and comments are way down on social medias and I do not have the money or the desire to create a mass leafleting campaign due to the waste this would create.

"Now we have until the end of the month until we make a decision on our break clause.

"18 months here and we broke even once since November (it was in May).

"It really is our last throw of the dice to see if we leave March time or not.

"At the moment it's a no brainer and with all that is going on around the world and in your homes I don't blame you.

"It's a tough time and hard decisions are made.

"But we thought it is time to let you know it is USE IT OR LOSE IT time over the next 3 weeks."

The owners said customers can help by liking and sharing the post, spending money in their shop and "spreading the word".

"We have three weeks", they added.

The post has since gone viral with thousands of reactions.

In a follow up post, the owners said: "Absolutely blown away by the love and attention and shares and reactions the last post got! We only expected a couple of reactions as usual but a thousand over both social medias?!?

"WE LOVE YOU ALL!! SO MUCH WE HAD A LITTLE CRY ABOUT IT!"

The shop is situated on Hyde Park Corner Headingley, Leeds.

Many people took to social media in support of the shop.

One said: “I'm hopeful that this support translates into spending at the store and new customers!"

The post has more than two hundred shares.

"Shall we pop in? Nah": Shop owners post viral request for community to save their business amid cost of living crisis