02/06/2026
As a fellow local business, this post really hit home. 💙
Running a small business is never easy, and behind every shop front, café, local service and trade, is a person pouring their heart, time, and energy into keeping it going.
Lou has been incredibly honest about the challenges she's facing at Lou's @ 21, and we wanted to share her message with our community.
If you've visited before, consider popping back in for a coffee or a meal. If you haven't been yet, now is a great time to show your support. Every customer, recommendation, share, and kind word makes a difference to independent businesses like ours.
Let's come together and support a valued local business during a difficult time. ❤️
To all of our valued customers, friends, and supporters,
This is not an easy post for me to write.
Over the last year nearly to the day, I have poured my heart, soul, time, and every ounce of energy into building this café. It has never simply been a business to me; it has been a passion, a place for our community to gather, and something I have been incredibly proud to call my own.
However, I feel it is important to be honest about the challenges I am currently facing.
Since Swale Borough Council introduced and enforced the car parking charges opposite the café, my business has been significantly impacted. The reduction in customer footfall has been devastating, and despite working tirelessly to adapt, promote, and keep moving forward, the reality is that the financial strain is becoming increasingly difficult to overcome.
Like many small businesses, I am facing ever-mounting bills and rising costs from every direction. Today was one of the hardest days I have experienced as a business owner. I had to knock on my landlord’s door unable to hold in my tears, as I explained that I was unable to pay this month’s rent on time and asked for a grace period until the end of the week.
That conversation was both heartbreaking and humiliating for me.
Pride Shattered 💔
Through all of this, I also want to say how incredibly grateful I am to my staff. They have stood by my side through the highs and the lows, showing unwavering dedication, support, and belief in what we have built together. Their hard work and loyalty mean the world to me, and I honestly could not have come this far without them.
Unlike some larger businesses, I am not fortunate enough to subsidise the café through other ventures or sources of income. The café survives solely through the support of its customers. Every coffee purchased, every breakfast ordered, every recommendation made to a friend genuinely makes a difference.
As if the current pressures were not enough, I am now facing a further 13% increase in electricity costs this July. If circumstances do not improve, this may well be the final nail in the coffin for a business that I have worked so hard to build.
To those of you who continue to support ‘Lou@21’ thank you. Your loyalty, kindness, and encouragement mean more than words can ever express. You have helped keep us going through some incredibly difficult times.
Today, I am making a sincere and humble plea. If you have visited us before, please consider coming back. If you have been meaning to pop in, please do. Bring a friend, stop for a coffee, enjoy a meal, or simply spread the word. Every visit genuinely helps.
I have made the difficult decision to give the business until the end of June to show signs of meaningful improvement. If that improvement does not come, I may have no option but to explore selling the café. Even writing those words is heartbreaking, as it is something I never imagined I would have to consider.
I remain hopeful, and I will continue giving everything I have to keep this café alive. But I cannot do it alone.
Thank you for reading, thank you for your continued support, and thank you for being part of our journey.
Forever Grateful,
Lou x
