Cafe to be converted back into place of worship

A much-loved cafe is being forced to close as the landlord plans to convert the site back into a place of worship.

The Orchard Cafe will shut on 30 August, having served customers for 10 years on Clouds Hill Road in St George, Bristol.

Cafe owner Joel Viljoen said staff had received an "overwhelming" level of support after the announcement on social media.

The trustees of St George Baptist Church, the landlord of the building, declined to comment.

Viljoen said the local support shown following the announcement "shows that... we've created a safe space for a community – not just to drink coffee, but for people to gather, have a good time and look after each other".

Viljoen said the hardest part of the announcement was breaking the news to his staff.

"These people have looked after me as well as worked with me.

"Giving them that space where they can create their freedom now comes to an end," he said.

Viljoen said he was proud of the work they had done over the last 10 years, building a business from the ground up, evolving from cafe to bakery and then to coffee roastery.

Despite describing the closure as "incredibly heartbreaking", he said it was also "a time to celebrate".

The cafe's sister site, Stokes, in Stokes Croft, will remain open.

According to the Bristol Archives catalogue, Clouds Hill Baptist Church opened at the site in 1831.

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