Staff across the chain's outlets were told of the decision on Monday evening

A beloved British coffee shop chain is set to disappear from the high street after confirming that all its locations will close.

Merrie England, known for its traditional Tudor-themed cafés, has blamed rising costs for its collapse following 60 years in business.

The much-loved West Yorkshire café chain established in 1966, has permanently shut all seven of its branches with immediate effect.

Staff across the chain's outlets were told of the decision on Monday evening.

The company, which operated locations in Huddersfield, Halifax and Brighouse, described the move as an "incredibly difficult decision" after six decades of trading. Its branch on New Hey Road in Oakes, Huddersfield, was among the most popular.

In a Facebook post, the chain said: "Our thoughts are especially with the teams across our seven shops who have lost their jobs."

The closure brings to an end a business that had become a fixture of community life across the region, serving generations of loyal customers.

The chain attributed its demise to a combination of mounting financial pressures and shifting consumer behaviour. In a detailed statement published on its website, the company said it had faced a "sustained increase in the cost of goods, business rates, energy costs, and the wider rising costs associated with staffing and government policy."

Beyond these escalating overheads, the business pointed to dwindling footfall and a decline in customer spending as further factors that made continued operation untenable.

The company acknowledged that many customers were "understandably unable or unwilling to pay the prices that businesses now need to charge in order to survive."

That gap between what it cost to keep the doors open and what patrons were prepared to spend ultimately proved insurmountable after 60 years of trade.

On its website, the chain expressed deep gratitude to those who had supported it over the decades.

"Your loyalty, kindness, and custom have meant so much to us, and we are truly grateful to have been part of the community for so long," the company wrote.

The business also appealed for sensitivity in the wake of the announcement. "We know people may have strong feelings, but we kindly ask that comments are kept respectful," the Facebook post stated.

"There are real people, families, staff, customers and suppliers affected by this news."

The chain signed off by wishing its customers, employees and suppliers well for the future, thanking them for "being part of our journey" — a journey that spanned six decades and touched countless lives across West Yorkshire.

Hundreds of people responded to the announcement on social media, sharing fond recollections of the chain's traditional fare — from hot beef sandwiches and toasted teacakes to egg custard and apple pie.

Jean Wright told Huddersfield Hub: "It was my mum's favourite place to go for lunch. It didn't matter if I suggested trying somewhere else. The staff were always so efficient and friendly. I still go with friends."

For Amy Steel, the café represented a tradition stretching across three generations of her family, bonded over prawn salad sandwiches.

"I've lived abroad and I've lived down south, and I've missed the Merrie England," she said. "The penny didn't drop until I moved that it wasn't a national chain."

The chain's place in local culture even extended to literature, with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage having written about its staff in verse.