Popular coffee shop in Northampton town centre CLOSES after four years in business – as rent goes up by more than 50%
A popular coffee shop in Northampton town centre has closed down for good after four years in business – after its landlord put the rent up by more than 50 per cent.
Saints Coffee in St Giles’ Street has announced that it is closing its doors for good on Sunday January 11.
The popular venue, which first opened in August 2021, blamed its landlord for hiking the rent by more than 50 per cent, saying trade was ‘no longer viable’.
In a social media post, a Saints Coffee spokesperson said: “We're coming to the end of an era. It feels incredibly sad to say, but we will be closing our doors for the last time on Sunday, January 11 at 4pm.
“The first thing we'd like to acknowledge is our amazing team and how incredibly proud we are of them. Telling them this news has been the hardest part of the decision. We're working with our team to help them make this transition as best as possible.
“We first opened our doors in the summer of 2021 and it's been a fantastic journey, with far more ups than downs. We set out with the goal of creating something new in Northampton – a local business we could be proud of that put quality and community at the heart of everything we did. We feel like we succeeded, with an unbelievable amount of happy memories.
“Unfortunately, the cost of doing business as a coffee shop is growing increasingly prohibitive and, despite conversations with our landlord, we're unable to reach a rent position that worked for both sides. We did not plan to close Saints Coffee, but a proposed rent increase of over 50 per cent meant that continuing to trade was no longer viable.
“We may share the whole story one day, but for now we would prefer to focus on the challenges for our team and the positives of what we've managed to do over the last four and a half years.
“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, for us most importantly, the communities and friendships that have been built through Saints Coffee. We've worked with so many amazing people over the years.
“We'd like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who's walked through our doors – everyone who's worked with us, customers who've visited us and partners who have supplied or collaborated with us.
“We still have this week of trading until Sunday, so please do pay us a visit and let the team feel the love that Northampton is so good at giving. Love, Saints Coffee team.”
Many customers and residents reacted to the news.
One customer said: “Awful news. Saints is a shining light in the town. It’s a big loss to the character of St Giles. We even had our wedding party there. I’d be interested to understand the landlord’s thinking behind such a huge rent hike. What legitimate independent business would be in a position to pay it in these times?”
Another wrote: “This is so sad to read. Saints Coffee will be missed terribly. The Saints team created something wonderful in Northampton.”
Fellow St Giles Street business Montague Jeffery wrote: “So sorry to hear you are closing. St Giles Street will miss you tremendously. Wouldn’t the landlords rather have a tenant paying rent than none at all, with the subsequent lack of business rates too? Other premises near you from the same landlord are empty too. It makes no sense at all in these very strange times.”
The venue has amassed an impressive 4.7 out of five star rating from 287 Google reviews. Its closure will leave another empty unit in St Giles Street.