The hairy figs in York at Fossgate were closed after the landlord after the landlord's company took enforcement action.
The lawyer's letter appears in the business owner's hairy fig Kelly Brooks in the cafe window and the deli next to it.
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Speaking to the press, Kelly said: “The business has been struggling for the past 18 months due to the current climate, and I have had to navigate the many challenges of small, independent businesses in cities where costs are rising every day.
“Despite our best efforts and efforts to overcome this, we have had difficulty moving our business forward as we had hoped and planned. We recently made the tough decision to sell our business.
“This has been taken out of my hands as of today and I look for support and kindness as I navigate the next steps over the next few weeks.
“We would like to thank all the team members and customers who have participated in the hairy fig story so far for your support and engagement.”
Jim Richardson, chief executive of the Merchant Adventurer Company, said the action was not underestimated.
He states: “We want to be a fully understood and fair landlord. We are a charity, but we have to keep our business in mind.
“Our position was that we always wanted to make our business a success, and that's what we are trying to do.
“However, after attempting an informal resolution last July, there was no more communication with the hairy fig owner.
“We have no other option but to take legal action to recover our property. We have separate legal action to recover our debt.”
He said the action follows 10 months of unpaid rent and relies on income from lively cafes, museums and the buildings it rents as merchant adventurers do not receive public funds.
Merchant Adventurers own seven business properties on Fossgate, with homes owned on top of them.
Originally in 2008, The Hairy Fig, a traditional Delirokers offering ham, health food and continental specialties, is located next to the Merchant Adventures Hall Gateway.
The business has since been through several owners and was last closed in 2023 when the cafe reopened on September 13th of that year.
