Two independent eateries on Northampton’s St Giles Street have announced their closures within days of each other, both citing spiralling costs as the reason they can no longer continue trading.
Today, The Eccentric Englishman confirmed it will be closing its doors, sharing the news in a statement on Facebook.
“It is with the greatest sadness that we’re announcing the closure of our little wonderland,” the statement read.
The business cited rising operating costs as well as family commitments, saying these pressures had “made it virtually impossible to carry on.”
The announcement follows news earlier this month that Saints Coffee, another popular independent venue on the same street, will also be closing.
On January 5, Saints Coffee revealed it would shut permanently on Sunday, January 11, at 4pm.
“We’re coming to the end of an era… Saints Coffee is closing,” the owners said. “It feels incredibly sad to say, but we will be closing our doors for the last time on Sunday 11 January at 4pm. Until then we will be open as usual.”
The statement explained that the cost of doing business as a coffee shop had become “increasingly prohibitive.” Despite discussions with their landlord, the owners said they were unable to reach a sustainable agreement after being faced with a proposed rent increase of more than 50 per cent.
“We did not plan to close Saints Coffee, but a proposed rent increase of over 50% meant that continuing to trade was no longer viable,” they said.
Reflecting on their time on St Giles Street, the Saints Coffee team said they were proud of what the business had become.
“We’re incredibly proud of what Saints Coffee became — the number of people we served, the local suppliers, artists, businesses and charities we partnered with and, most importantly for us, the communities and friendships that have been built through Saints Coffee.”
The closures mark a difficult moment for St Giles Street, which has long been known for its independent cafés and eateries, and highlight the growing financial pressures facing small hospitality businesses.