‘Where will we go now’ cry customers as town’s ‘best cafe’ closes down after 23 years
SHOPPERS have been left devastated after their town’s “best cafe” closed down after 23 years.
The Munch House in Maidstone, Kent, has pulled down the shutters for the final time.
The long-standing local business has been providing breakfast and lunches to the town’s shoppers for more than two decades.
Alexia Noel has owned and managed the popular cafe for the past eight years, with a sub-let on the lease.
She started working in the business 15 years ago, when it was run by the owner of the building.
But today, Alexia and her two staff, Rosie Ashcroft and Tatjana Sevciuk, have lost their jobs with the Munch House ceasing trading.
Alexia told KentOnline: “It’s very much the end of an era. People have been coming in all week to say how sad they are to see us go and how they will miss us.
“It’s very sad, We made a great team and both the staff and customers have been so supportive of me, even through the darkest of times.
“Many of the customers are regulars who have been coming for years. I shall miss them all.”
Punters who frequented the establishment have voiced their disappointment online.
Posting on Facebook, one said: “Oh what a shame the best egg and chips ever.”
A second said: “Oh no. This was my go to place for lunch with my mum and dad when I got a day off. Soooo sad. Their milkshakes were the best.”
Others asked each other “where will we go now”.
One of those customers was Cllr Dave Naghi, the borough council’s cabinet member for community cohesion and safety.
He told KentOnline: “I’ve been coming here for years – I used to come with my mum.
“I always have poached eggs because the way they do them the yolk is always bursting out – exactly as it should be!
“Life won’t be the same without the Munch House.”
Alexis says the freehold-owner is looking to sell the lease and that that “wasn’t feasible” for her to take this on.
Instead, the lease has been sold to a Greek restaurateur.
Which other stores have we lost recently?
We have seen several big losses in the last 12 months including popular discounter Wilko and stationary brand Paperchase.
More recently, health and beauty chain The Body Shop fell into administration and announced the closure of many of its 200 stores.
Almost 500 staff are set to lose their jobs after 75 stores were earmarked for closure.
Plus, Ted Baker fell into administration in March 2024 too, with 15 stores having shut by April 19.
Other retailers such as Iceland, Boots and Matalan have been slimming down the number of stores they have on the high street.
Just this spring Boots is closing a total of nine sites, as part of its wider plans to get rid of 300 locations.
These closures will see the retailer’s total shops reduced from 2,200 to 1,900.
This has upset a lot of locals in the affected towns, however, the health and beauty chain has said where stores are closing there is an alternative shop less than three miles away.
Last year Argos started to put in place its plans to reduce the number of standalone stores and focus on opening more locations inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
It closed 42 UK shops, including all 34 of its branches in the Republic of Ireland last June.
Retailers closing stores in 2024
RETAILERS have been hit by soaring inflation and a downturn in spending due to the cost of living crisis.
High energy costs are a move to shopping online are also taking their toll.
While some high street shops have closed due to businesses opening up in different locations such as larger retail parks.
Shops may also close due to a number of other reasons, such as rising rents.
We explain which retailers are closing in 2024:
- Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
- B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, with two stores closing this year due to leases not being renewed. It has plans to open more in 2024 too.
- Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
- Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
- Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
- Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
- Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
- M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
- Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
- WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.