Merrie England cafe chain shuts after 60 years

A West Yorkshire cafe chain that has been in business for 60 years has announced it has closed its doors.

Merrie England, which has branches in Huddersfield, Halifax and Brighouse, said the closure was due to a combination of rising costs, falling footfall and reduced customer spending.

Founded in 1966, the company said it had been an "incredibly difficult decision" and that "we are truly grateful to have been part of the community for so long".

In a separate post on its Facebook page, Merrie England said its "thoughts are especially with the teams across our seven shops who have lost their jobs".

In a statement, the company said the decision to close had been reached "after facing a sustained increase in the cost of goods, business rates, energy costs, and the wider rising costs associated with staffing and government policy".

It added: "Alongside these pressures, we have also seen a reduction in footfall and customer spending, with many people understandably unable or unwilling to pay the prices that businesses now need to charge in order to survive.

"After 60 years of serving our customers, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us over the decades.

"Your loyalty, kindness and custom have meant so much to us, and we are truly grateful to have been part of the community for so long."

Merrie England built a loyal following with its old-fashioned atmosphere and traditional favourites, including hot beef sandwiches, toasted teacakes, egg custard and apple pie.

The coffee shop became a well-known part of the town's identity, inspiring poet laureate Simon Armitage to write about its staff in a poem.

Anne Asquith said she was "very surprised" by the news.

The 80-year-old added: "There aren't enough little cafes so I'll miss it.

"We usually go for the sweet stuff but I've had a bacon sandwich before."

Reacting to the news on the company's Facebook page, hundreds of people shared their memories of the cafes over the years.

One person posted: "It was my mum's favourite cafe to have a bacon sandwich when she was in town - or coffee and a rum truffle or scone, such a lot of memories over the years it's going to be so missed by many."

Another said: "This is really sad news and the end of an era.

"It was the go-to place for milky coffee, bacon sandwich and beef sandwiches…I have lots of fond memories."

Another regular reflected: "Sad news - took my wife on her first date to the drive-through at Lindley when it first opened.

"Packed ham and cress butties. Turkey club and hot toasted beef yum yum. Never beaten on quality."

Geraldine Mckerracher, 69, said she was "very sad" about the closures and had been going to the coffee shop in the Packhorse Centre for years.

She said: "We used to get sandwiches and take them over to my brother when we went to Filey.

"Over the years we've had lots of different meetings with friends here."

Anne Goddard said it was only when she arrived at the coffee shop and was met with locked doors that she learned of the news.

"I did not know until I got here and went to meet my friend and saw it was shut."

The 81-year-old said it was always a given for her and her friend that Merrie England would be the spot to catch up: "If I come into town to meet her, that is where we always go."

Another regular, Julie Holmes, said she had been "really shocked" when she learned of the closure.

The 76-year-old shared similar sentiments that the sandwiches were the spot's main attraction.

"The sandwiches, well all the food, were all good, the roast beef and salad never changed no matter which one you went to."

She said she had been using the coffee shop much more over the last 16 years since she retired.

"We go quite often really, have quite a lot of different friends that we meet with there, we will have to find somewhere else.

"It is like anything else, these things sometimes come to an end and it is just a shame, we are just so shocked.

"I could not believe it this morning, I do not know what we will do."

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