Locals save much-loved Croydon cafe from closure
By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter
The future of a popular Croydon cafe has been secured after hundreds of local people pledged more than £12,000 when it was weeks away from closing for good.
In mid-December, Matthew’s Yard, in North End, revealed it had struggled to pay its rent and was being threatened with the bailiffs by their landlord.
After going public with the dispute, property owners The Arch Company agreed to a flexible schedule for paying debts owed.
In less than three weeks, more than £8,000 was pledged through an online crowdfunder to help save the cafe’s West Croydon home.
An update from Matthew’s Yard read: “We have been absolutely blown away by all your support over the holiday period.
“We’ve hit our initial crowdfunding target and are well on the way to wiping the slate clean with our landlord, to secure a better and brighter future in West Croydon.
“Your help, combined with the time to pay agreements with our creditors and the general upturn in trade, mean we can also now make some desperately needed improvements to the space.”
Now, the cafe is half way to a further ‘stretch target’ of £25,000 which would see the business able to revamp its other site, off Surrey Street.
Any cash over the original will go towards this site, which was used as a workspace but was hit hard when the pandemic struck and everyone started working from home.
The business hopes to move a soft play area and kids cafe into this site which will be able to host birthday parties and youth clubs for older kids.
The update added: “With the love and support of the people in Croydon we hope to hit the ground running in 2023 and by the Spring we would like to offer two fantastic community-oriented premises so that people of any age can eat, drink, work and relax with Matthews Yard.”
In December, a spokesperson for The Arch Company said: “We don’t want to lose good customers like Matthews Yard, which is why we have been working with them over the last few months to deal with their outstanding debt to enable them to stay.”
Pictured top: Matthew’s Yard in West Croydon (Picture: Google Street View)
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