THE OWNERS of a highly rated cafe have said they are 'heartbroken' to have to close as the cost of living crisis deepens.
Meeting Place took over the former Mac and Jac's in Friar Street during the pandemic in 2020.
And in a short space of time, the independent business built up a loyal fan base and TripAdvisor was flooded with positive reviews.
The community-led cafe focused on serving seasonal dishes and sourced its ingredients from Worcestershire.
But now cafe owners Edward and Nancy Little Jones have said they can no longer compete with rising costs.
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The couple revealed the news on Facebook and said they have decided to close with a 'very heavy heart.'
The couple said: "With a very heavy heart we are sorry to say our little cafe on Friar Street is now closed.
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"It’s broken our hearts to have to do this but we’ve been left with little choice I’m afraid.
"You all know and understand how tough it is at the moment out there - rising costs and less dosh in our pockets.
"We’ve had to make a really quick decision and close.
"We never want to dwindle on sourcing decent ingredients or raise our prices too much but this economic situation has, well, had the better of us.
"We also need to keep our fantastic children in mind too as we do struggle to spend enough time with them."
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The owners described the little cafe as their extended home for the past two years, however, they will be back in the new year for catering events and pop-ups.
Mr Jones also wanted to thank customers for the support they have shown.
He said: "We are devastated to have to close our cafe but given the financial state we are all facing we have little choice.
"We have been blown away by how many lovely and supportive messages we have received on social media and sent to us personally.
"A huge thanks to our suppliers, staff past and present and our families for your love and support. See you next year for pop-ups and events!!"
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