Criccieth café closes after 36 years as family loses lease dispute

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 12:08 · Archive

Swn Y Môr café in Criccieth has closed after more than 36 years, with the family-run business citing a four-year legal dispute.

Swn Y Môr café in Criccieth has closed with immediate effect after more than 36 years in operation. The closure marks the end of a family business spanning three generations, with the Gardner family having taken over through their grandparents in 1990.

The family added the Swn Y Môr café next door to their existing Blue China café in 2008 and have run both ever since. However, their lease at Swn Y Môr was not renewed by the executors of the estate of Elizabeth Cadwalader. The family have successfully renewed their lease at Blue China, although that café is currently closed for the season.

Two outlets report that the closure followed a four-year legal dispute. In a statement, the family said: "This is not how we ever imagined our story would end." They described having fought hard to keep the café open but reaching the end of the road. They also said: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to share the news that Swn Y Môr has closed its doors with immediate effect."

Over the decades, Swn Y Môr had become more than a café, the family said. They described it as a place where families had gathered to celebrate weddings, christenings, birthdays and anniversaries, as well as coming together during difficult times, including to remember loved ones. The family said they had watched children grow up and welcomed generations of families through their doors.

The family expressed gratitude for the support they received during the closure. They said: "The kind messages, phone calls, and words of encouragement we have received have been truly overwhelming." They added that knowing how much Swn Y Môr means to so many people had been both heartbreaking and incredibly comforting.

How it is being reported

• Much-loved North Wales café closes after 36 years as owners share heartbreakSwn Y Môr announced its closure in a heartfelt statement, describing it as the end of a family business spanning three generations.North Wales Pioneer · 17 Oct, 09:00
• 'Heartbreaking' closure of Gwynedd cafe after years with same familyGardner family say they have not been able to secure lease renewal for cafe in seaside townNorth Wales Live · 17 Oct, 05:45
• Much-loved Gwynedd café closes after 36 years as owners share heartbreakSwn Y Môr announced its closure in a heartfelt statement, describing it as the end of a family business spanning three generations.North Wales Chronicle · 15 Oct, 12:24

In this story: Swn Y Môr · Criccieth · Gardner family · Blue China · Gwynedd · Elizabeth Cadwalader

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem