Brighton and Hove coffee shop chain Small Batch has closed three of its branches with the loss of more than two dozen jobs.
The branches to close are in Dyke Road, Brighton, at the Seven Dials, as well as in Western Road, Brighton, on the edge of Norfolk Square, and in Wilbury Road, Hove.
Two other branches remain open – in Goldstone Villas, Hove, and at Wellington House, in Camden Street, Portslade. There is also a coffee stand at Brighton railway station.
The closures were an after-taste of the coronavirus restrictions, according to one former staff member, who said that the company had invested in new kitchens shortly before the pandemic.
But when businesses were forced to shut during the pandemic, Small Batch was unable to generate the income required to service the loans that had funded the kitchen upgrades.
A note in the window of the Seven Dials branch said: “We are sorry to announce that Small Batch Seven Dials has closed its doors.
“We will be focusing on our coffee and the roastery where you will be able to order your coffee online.
“Our Goldstone and Wellington House cafés are still open and we would love to see you there.
“Thank you for all your support over the years and we’ll miss you very much. Love the Seven Dials team.”
There was also a statutory demand in the window for £11,250.88 from retired pilot Charles Pemberton, 72, and letting agent, Karina Pemberton, 64. They are understood to be the landlords of the Seven Dials branch.
Non-payment could result in the Small Batch Coffee Company being liquidated and formally dissolved.
The company’s most recent published accounts – to the end of December 2021 – said that £933,000 would fall due within a year, down from just over £1 million a year earlier. No profit or loss was recorded in the accounts, in line with an exemption for small companies.
According to Companies House records, the business is run by Ashley Lopez, 36, from Wellington House, in Camden Street Portslade, and owned by entrepreneur and financier Stefan Allesch-Taylor, 53.
In the window of the branch in Wilbury Road, Hove, there was also a farewell note from staff which read: “We are sorry to announce that Small Batch Wilbury has closed its doors.
“We will be focusing on our coffee and the roastery where you will be able to order your coffee online.
“Our Goldstone and Wellington House cafés are still open and we would love to see you there. Thank you for your support over the years.”
And last week a number of staff who had been made redundant were emptying the stock from the Norfolk Square branch for their former employer.
Small Batch is understood to have switched its focus from retail – running coffee shops – to wholesale – supplying coffee to other food and drink and hospitality businesses as well as to online trading.
A few months ago, the company announced the appointment of two new members of the leadership team “to help drive its new strategic focus on wholesale operations and online coffee subscribers”.
The specialist market research business World Coffee Portal said that Colin Morrison was joining the business as roastery managing director from Glasgow-based coffee roaster Matthew Algie.
And, the report said, Dumo Mathema was joining as head of coffee and roastery. He previously worked for the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs (DeCoSa) and Ozone Coffee Roasters and provided consultancy services for other roasteries.
Small Batch was founded by Brad Jacobsen and Alan Tomlins in 2006. Mr Jacobsen was reported to have made £3 million when he sold his 64 per cent stake in 2015.
The business was bought by Risk Capital Partners, which is run by Palace Pier owner Luke Johnson, who sold it to the fast-growing Department of Coffee and Social Affairs in 2019.
Within a year, better kitchen equipment had been installed at a number of Small Batch branches by DeCoSa.
But the country was placed in lockdown in March 2020 and by the summer the group had gone into liquidation.
Former DeCoSa director Mr Allesch-Taylor subsequently took control of the Small Batch part of the group.
Having used Small Batch pretty much ever since its inception, however many years ago, I admired how they built a brand based on quality. The coffee was excellent at a time when actually that was not the Brighton and Hove norm.
Some may say it’s expensive. I reckon no more than other places.
Their problem was with the service. They forgot that customers like to be loved and not looked down at. The staff were a bit too cool for school. Serving customers was a bit below their pay grade. And god forbid if you weren’t a tattooed hipster!
It was also intensely annoying that they refused to take cash. Often you’d see people in there being turned away for trying to use coins and notes. Esp ironic considering the 7 Dials and Bedford Sq branches used to be banks. They turned their customers off and away. Sad really. The coffee was excellent.
They shud have had cheaper coffee at a quid a cup for locals would be more affordable then shame though
They lost me and my family when they went cashless.
There’s far too many virtually indentical hipster over priced coffee shops in Brighton
It went downhill over the last few years and there are far better Indy coffee shops in the city. Also, their Worthing branch closed too.
It is no longer a Hove and Brighton business after being sold?
Although I have no issue with not using cash, not having the option tells me that older people are actively discouraged. So I don’t go there. I am not particularily old either – but I will be one day !
>not having the option tells me that older people are actively discouraged
Are you insinuating old people cannot hold a card near a row of lights?