A newly opened coffee shop will be closing its doors because the pub which houses it is temporarily closing.

The Village Coffee Shop, which opened inside The Launton Arms in Launton, earlier this year, announced its impending closure after the pub shared the news that it too, will be closing.

Jen Walker, owner of the coffee shop, said: “We are devastated. Unfortunately the pub is closing so we don’t have a venue.

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“We are eternally grateful, and always will be, to Kyle and The Launton Arms for allowing us the opportunity to follow our dreams.”

The coffee shop focused heavily on creating a community feel, offering social meetups.

Ms Walker said: “We’ve built up such a loyal and lovely bunch of customers in such a short space of time.

“Our focus has primarily been on community, offering a space to work, a space to meet new people with the Chatt Cafe Scheme and the Knit and Natter group, as well as a chance to learn new skills with our workshops and a place to shop local in our retail area.

“We were also hoping to add a small deli section now the local butchers has closed.

“We are currently looking for alternative options in the village, and are open until the end of September in our current position.”

The village Coffee Shop is currently running a petition to allow them to use the old pool house in Launton for their shop. 

The Launton Arms will hold its final ‘invite only’ drinks date on September 26, and will be opening its doors again in April with an extended program of events, weddings and more.

A statement on the Launton Arms Facebook page said: “With ever increasing costs and the tightening of belts, together with paying down covid loans and debts and the summer weather which has forced the cancellation of four events so far, we are unable to continue in the current format opening with The Village Coffee Shop four days a week and the pub four days a week.

“Despite the fantastic support we get from a small number who support the pub week in and week out and those who have embraced the coffee shop, it is simply not enough to pay the bills and grow the business in a way that is sustainable, and my failing health makes it so much harder to provide the current services six days a week.

“In the meantime, the pub will only open for pre-booked events which we will honour to those who so graciously chose us for their events and on days when staff will be on site for other reasons and bigger football matches until our sports subscription expires.

“I will be staying, and we will be back in April with an extended program of events, weddings and more. In fact, in the coming months my team will continue to work on the garden extension, relocation of the outside bar and other exciting developments and I will be moving into the pub as my home.”

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1