Little Bettys in York will officially shut its doors, it has been announced.
Earlier this year the shop's first-floor café in Stonegate was closed in the hopes of finding a "more sustainable way of repurposing the building".
However, bosses of the popular shop said they have not been able to and have decided to close the branch, Yorkshire Live reports.
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"It has been much loved by customers for many years, and we’re incredibly grateful for the loyalty and kindness of York's residents and visitors over that time - and for the talent, commitment and dedication of our colleagues at the branch.
"When we closed the first-floor café we dearly hoped to find a more sustainable way of repurposing the building and keep the branch running in a new format, but sadly that hasn't been possible.
"With Bettys in St Helen’s Square, York, just a short walk away, having a small standalone shop wasn’t operationally or commercially practical."
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Little Bettys thanked customers for their loyalty and kindness and staff for their resilience.
"The team have shown great professionalism and resilience throughout. We know our people are our strength and we’re working together to look for opportunities for our colleagues in other roles within our family business. We’re hugely grateful for their ongoing support and commitment," the statement read.
"Our thanks also go to our customers. Many have visited Little Bettys regularly for years, sometimes decades, and we know that lots of memories are bound up in this beloved place.
"We hope that you can continue to create new Bettys memories in our other cafés in York, Harrogate, Ilkley and Northallerton."
Customers have voiced their sadness over the closure with many saying they preferred to visit the smaller branch over the big one in St Helen's Square.
One person wrote: "Whilst I totally understand the reasons why, I am utterly heartbroken that this divine piece of York will be lost.
"As someone else has already eluded to, it sums up York in a nutshell and my fondest childhood memories revolve around this place. Of all the shops in the world, this is the one I am the saddest to lose."
Another said: "Used to be our favourite especially when the children were young. Queuing on the stairs was part of the fun, we always thought.
"We loved the building, the beams, the small rooms, the sense of history. This was the tearoom to which we always took our visitors, especially those from abroad. In a way, it was York in a nutshell."
While a third commented: "This is such a shame, I’ve loved visiting here and it’s been a lovely little hidden café for locals away from the huge tourist queues at the other bigger branches. What a great loss!"
