Stray’s coffee shop closes in Oakham High Street to protect future of Newark branch

A town centre coffee shop has shut with the owner saying covid caused the downfall of his business.

Stray’s coffee shop in Oakham closed at the beginning of this month (November) and was cleared of equipment this week after three years of trading in the town.

Owner Mat Short said he turned down the opportunity to sign a new lease with the landlord of the High Street property because ‘it is not viable to continue to trade in Oakham’.

He said the pandemic was the turning point for the coffee shop’s success in the town.

Mat said: “Trade and footfall changed.

“A lot of offices which were full of workers no longer existed and people have become more aware of the cost of living.”

Stray’s is expanding in Newark, where it was founded 20 years ago, by moving into new premises in The Ossington, on Beastmarket Hill.

Mat says continuing to put time and money into the Oakham branch could put the new Newark venture at risk.

He is sad to leave his “fantastic and loyal customer base in Oakham”.

Mat added: “Unfortunately it is business.

“We have fallen foul of trying to look after people and all that’s happened is, it has had the opposite effect.

“I am mindful of the difficulty everyone has had with covid and the hospitality industry has borne the brunt of the decisions made by the government.”

Mat is confident the remaining coffee shops in Oakham will benefit from customers of Stray’s.

Stray’s shut in Stamford last year when bailiffs acting on behalf of the landlords took back possession of the premises.

The unit is now occupied by Oliver Bonas.

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