04/08/2023
Dear Customers of the Merstham Mix Cafe and the local community in general,
The Board of the Merstham Mix Cafe are sad to announce the closure of the Merstham Mix Cafe with immediate effect.
Many of you may be surprised by this news, and also very disappointed to hear that the cafe can no longer continue to trade.
The cafe has, from day one in 2017, been run on an extremely tight budget with core costs barely covered. We have always had to fundraise between £20-£40k a year to cover rent and salaries. The most recent rising pressures of minimum wage and food inflation, meant the cafe simply could no longer stay operational.
The Board (made up of a group of volunteers), together with our hard working and dedicated team of paid team and volunteers, have done our very best to keep the cafe operational.
A recent consultation with financial advisors and a close examination of the finances left the Board with no choice but to accept the business could no longer continue to trade at a loss. Up until the moment we decided to close the business, every effort was made to keep it going. However, the duties of directors (under insolvency law) required us to cease trading immediately and the first people to know were, of course, our staff. Sadly it was not practical to meet everyone in person, and so a team-wide email was issued.
Members of the public will probably not be aware of the tireless efforts made by so many to obtain funding from various sources including the National Lottery, community groups, local business and Surrey County Council.
In the end - and with a very heavy heart - we have had to accept that we can no longer make ends meet and the doors must close.
We are so grateful to all our loyal customers and staff for all their support until now, and we very much hope that a new and successful venture will take its place very soon.
Yours sincerely,
The Board of Merstham Mix Cafe
