Soaring costs force closure of popular Limerick cafe

A LIMERICK business has announced they will close in December due to mounting running costs.

Miss Marple's Tea Rooms on Father Russell Road in Limerick city has been in business for 11 years, however, they have announced the sad news that they are closing their doors for the final time.

In a Facebook post, owner Colette Fitzmaurice said it was with “heavy hearts” that Miss Marple's will close on December 23.

The post read: “We have made some wonderful friends over the years and we have great memories to sustain us.

“Thank you all for your custom and friendship. It means so much to us. We look forward to seeing you over the next few weeks”.

Colette told Limerick Live that overheads involved in running the business are “just too high” to continue operating.

“Electricity, cost of ingredients, everything has jumped. They haven't been small increases, they were big and we were just too small to deal with them. “I will continue to bake cakes from home. Rent and rates are huge and electricity prices keep going up for no good reason”.

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Five people are employed at the tea rooms and Colette said customers have been left “in tears” over the closure.

“Customers have been bringing in cards and I got two flower deliveries yesterday. There is a huge amount of sadness, customers are very angry that we are in this position.

“The employees have been with us all along. They are more like a family. There is a huge sadness among them”.

The Rathbane native said the business has a "big" history with the local community and those further afield.

“We have filmed with Neven Maguire, American tour companies have listed us and we had several tour groups from Norway this year”.