A popular waterfront café has announced its sudden closure after battling a year of “disruptive” works and rising costs.

Mettricks in Woolston will bid farewell to customers on Monday, December 23, it has been announced.

Spencer Bowman, the founder and owner of the Southampton chain, said the scaffolding covering the buildings at Centenary Quay has been “hugely disruptive”.

He added: “The overwhelmingly oppressive compound that has taken over the whole of our once lovely plaza.

“As the year has progressed, the works have closed us in yet further to the point that many visitors presume we are closed.

“Sadly our own landlord has been unable to support us up until this point, and every month this year the site has been subsidised by our wider business.

“These monthly losses have only grown as the year has progressed.”

Spencer said the hospitality sector has been hit hard by the cost of living crisis, describing it as a “perfect storm” for the business.

And the latest Government budget was the final nail in the coffin, he said, adding that the increase in costs will be upward of £60,000.

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He said: “It has become clear that we simply cannot continue to open whilst making such huge losses and risk our wider business at a time of such uncertainty in the economy.

“Back in 2017 when we took on the Woolston project, Centenary Quay felt full of optimism.

“We were promised a world class waterfront to rival Ocean Village, with more retail, restaurants, a waterfront path, water taxis and a marina.

“And the residential community that is still being built felt positive and hopeful.

“Unfortunately things have still not come though, indeed right now we are back on a building site.

“Mettricks Woolston has been far more than just a cafe and bar, but a melting pot kind of place right at the heart of our community. The kind of place for everyone - to Meet at Mettricks.

“We continue to be in discussions with our landlord about some rent support that might see us reopen in the summer and then see Mettricks Woolston survive to the other side of these cladding works that have brought misery to out plaza.

“I want to put on record my massive thanks to all of the teams who have ever worked at Mettricks Woolston, but in particular to the amazing team we currently have who have dealt with the challenges of this year and the decision to close at Christmas with such character, commitment to our customers and heart as ever. 

“So, from all of us we will prepare to say goodbye, hopefully just for now. Come and join us for one last weekend of brunch, speciality coffee, sour dough pizza and craft beer.”