Worksop cafe 'forced to close' re-opens in new premises

Café Neo, which was located at Bridge Court, closed in August after landlords decided not to renew the lease.

Owner Leano Kaponas said he felt forced to close the cafe because Bassetlaw District Council was in negotiations to buy the building.

Speaking at the time he said he had been told that the new owners of the building wanted vacant possession so he had no choice but to close.

However, the cafe, which had been running for 13 years, has now relocated to the old Burger King in the Priory Centre and is set to re-open today (Thursday).

Leano said: “After being told that our old premises of thirteen years had been sold to the council, we worked very hard to secure a location in Worksop that would be convenient for our loyal customer base.

“There are lots of empty units in Worksop, but few big enough to house the facilities we have always offered – a warm comfortable environment with sufficient access for all.”

He described the process of reopening as a ‘long road to secure a deal’ at the new premises and said he only received the keys three weeks ago.

Mr Kaponas added: “We have worked flat out with the help of friends, family and fantastic local trades people to bring the empty unit back to life. We think our customers, new and old, will love it.”

And he also thanked the local community for their support during the last few months.

“The support and encouragement we have received from Worksop locals, both out on the streets and via social media, has been truly overwhelming,” he said.

“We can’t thank everybody enough for your kind words, understanding, encouragement and support that has motivated us to renew our close bond with Worksop town centre which we have been serving for over 48 years.

“Our new premises will open on Thursday December 12 and we hope that we can continue serving the wonderful people of Worksop for many years to come.

“We can’t wait to welcome you all.”