City centre favourite Cafe Metro has closed down, it has announced. Owner George Stavrinou, who ran the cafe on High Street opposite the Arndale with his son Michael, shut the doors for the last time on Christmas Eve, it has emerged.
In a post to Facebook, they said: “It is with regret and great sadness that we announce the closure of Cafe Metro. We have come to the end of our lease and the landlords plans to redevelop means that we can’t stay.
“Although we have looked to relocate we have not been able to find premises that come close to enabling us to offer our customers the same service and pricing. With Christmas Eve being our last day, George, Michael and the family would like to thank all our customers for their valued custom and support over the last 25 years, we’ve enjoyed serving you and will miss our chats about life in general, families, cars, F1, football, you name it we’ve probably talked about it.
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“Thank you to our valued staff for your hard work and support, particularly now in our final week and last but not least Aida who has been part of the Cafe Metro family for over 20 years - thank you for all your hard work and support until the very end.”
Customers have flooded the post with well wishes. “The end of an era. Such a loss to Manchester!” said Thekla Sotiriou. Added Amanda Jane Pritchard: “Gutted, my first job after leaving school was at Cafe Metro. Loved my job. Town won't be the same.”
Added another regular: “So sorry you’ve closed. Your kindness and fantastic food got us through some tough times over the years and you will be missed. Hope you all stay healthy and enjoy your next adventures. Your breakfast was a go to for comfort and so was the chicken pasta.”
The news comes after nearby Northern Quarter cult store Oklahoma revealed it was also closing down, with plans to concentrate on its online store instead. Owners said in a post to Instagram: “After 25 years of being a shopkeeper, I've decided to close the physical store in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and Oklahoma will focus all its energy on its online offering.”
It was close its doors for the last time on January 31.
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