07/10/2023
Dear amazing customers,
It is time to be fully transparent about what is happening with Priscilla’s
Unfortunately, after trying to avoid closing down since Covid, the decision has now been taken out of my hands and I have to close Priscilla’s. I have run out of time and money to make a deal with the banks, council and debts.
For the last 2 years I have been paying staff and not bills, as there hasn’t been enough income. Sadly this is no longer sustainable. With there now being 4 coffee shops in the high street, sadly we can no longer compete.
I was holding out for Community Day, as that used to give the business some winter savings. However we lost money instead and the coffee van there was the nail in the coffin as it limited our takings.
The building was placed up for sale by the council and my lease was up for renewal. I have worked endlessly over the last few months to find a solution but it is not possible. I needed to reduce the rent debt to the council, in order to renew the lease, but I couldn’t find enough.
I had an amazing customer who was ready to buy the building, but the council wouldn’t give us a price and wanted us to bid against the public. I feel it is unfair I have to bid against the public for my own building after 10 years of community work and investment into transforming the building and public toilet and turning it into something special. The situation has become impossible to fix and there are no more solutions so sadly we must close.
We appreciate all of your endless support over the last 10 years, and I value the community the business has been able to build here in Sanderstead. It has been a long and pleasurable journey running Priscilla’s, however it is now time for a change, and someone else can enjoy the business. I look forward to seeing what it becomes.
It saddens me to lose this amazing bus stop project I was part of and I will cherish all the memories that have come with it along the way. I am excited to watch it flourish even more now.
I would like to thank all of our customers for everything they have one to be part of this amazing community.
If you would like to help support our sister shop, Cornerhouse, in Hamsey Green, please feel free to drop in and have a look around. We have a wide range of charity bits that might take your fancy.
Please pop in to Priscilla’s one last time before 4pm this Sunday and pick up something. Almost everything inside is for sale. Please ask for a price.
I have added the bank details below as I don’t know what to do or ask as I am desperate, and staff have not been fully paid from last month yet. If you wanted to donate to that I would be immensely grateful. I am gutted to be in this situation.
I would like to again thank all of our customers for everything they have done to be a part of this journey.
Hopefully we will see you at Cornerhouse Tea Room CR2 9BX soon.
Also a big big big thank you to the staff both past and present who have helped make Priscilla’s successful and put their all into the business. Current staff, I am so sorry we have to close.
Thank you❤️
PRISCILLA'S TEA ROOM LTD
Account number: 20797086
Sort code: 04-06-05
