Edinburgh business, Mimi’s Bakehouse will close its Leith café on Sunday.
This is the first site where Mimi’s began in 2010, but now they say they are moving on to the next chapter – which will be in the premises on The Shore but will be something new and different.
Michelle Phillips, Founder and Managing Director said: “Our bakery café at The Shore was where our Mimi’s journey began. We sold the family home to open it during the recession – everyone thought we were daft! But, it was built on love, community, hard graft and lots and lots of butter! It’s remained a family business, and we’ve made so many incredible memories here. We will always be grateful for that.
“While the Leith location will close, the business will now focus on investing in and elevating its existing Edinburgh sites – City Art Centre, Comely Bank, Corstorphine and Lauriston Castle – as well as its online bakery, which delivers cakes UK-wide, along with its concessions and partnerships.”
Michelle continued: “This isn’t a goodbye. We’re focusing on the future of Mimi’s and working out how to create the best possible experience for our team and for the customers who have been with us since the beginning, continuing to bake the cakes that everyone loves.
“Leith will always be part of who we are. Even though we’re stepping back from the café as people know and love it, we’re already imagining what the next chapter in this space could be – something that reflects our love of great food and warm hospitality. Watch this space.”
Whatever the space on The Shore is going to be it is no longer going to be a café. While Mimi’s do not say that the café closure is a direct consequence of the roadworks on The Shore, they were vocal about the damage the ongoing disruption was doing to their business earlier in the year.
The bakery was part of a group of businesses which told The Edinburgh Reporter the roadworks had put their businesses in danger of closing.
The group known as the Shore Business Collective accused council chiefs of neglect and waging a “war on business” during council-led infrastructure works which they said had devastated footfall and cut off local shops, cafés and restaurants during peak visitor season.
Ashley Harley, spokesperson for the 50-strong Shore Business Collective, said that businesses feel abandoned and ignored as pavement-widening and bike lane projects turn the once-vibrant Shore into what one trader called “a dead end”.
Ms Harley, Chief Operating Officer of Mimi’s Bakehouse chain, said at the time: “It feels like a war on business. The council just don’t give two hoots and they’ve created a car park, a dead zone, which nobody wants to come to anymore.”
