Melissa Kelly has been the franchisee of House Bathurst for the past 10 years, but her association with the business ends on Sunday.

Mrs Kelly, who owned the business with her husband James, found out several months ago she would not be able to renew her franchise, which she said was devastating.

“Unfortunately the new business direction doesn’t involve a franchisee store, so after Sunday House Bathurst will no longer be a local business,” she said.

Mrs Kelly said House opened in Bathurst on October 25, 2004 in Stockland and moved over to the Bathurst City Centre in 2009.

Mrs Kelly said she and her husband purchased the franchise because the saw an opportunity in the local market.

“It was at the time Bathurst lost Myer,” she said. “As an avid cook I found I had to travel to Sydney to buy my cooking supplies, because I couldn’t get them in Bathurst.

“James had sold the pub [the Knickerbocker] six months previously and we just thought ‘what a fantastic investment idea’.”

Mrs Kelly said the business had been very successful, with celebrity chef Pete Evans visiting the store twice for promotional events.

“My business was extremely successful; we poured the profits back into the business to make it that way,” she said.

“It cost us $250,000 to move from Stockland to set up in the Bathurst City Centre, but at the time we thought we would be here for another 10 years,” she said.

News her franchise wouldn’t be renewed was a shock for Mrs Kelly, who had ordered Christmas stock back in April, all of which she now has to sell before Sunday.

“After Sunday I have no idea what happens to the shop because I’m not involved in it. I have to clear everything out. Whatever we don’t sell I have to pack up and take,” she said.

“And we’ve still got stacks of stock left, we did all our Christmas ordering in April and we can’t cancel it.”

Mrs Kelly said she is also unsure what will happen to her seven staff members.

“House Corporate are taking over my lease [in the Bathurst City Centre], as even though the franchise ended in September we still had 12 months left on the shop lease,” she said.

“The staff will stay on but in what capacity I have no idea.”

As for her plans, Mrs Kelly said she will have a break and then hopes to own another business in town.

“I’ve been doing this for 10 years. In that time I haven’t had an extended period off, so I will take some time off and spend time with my kids,” she said.

“But I’m a businesswoman so I will see what Bathurst needs and hopefully be back.

“But to be honest, I’m at a loss.

“I’d thought I’d be at House forever.”