Farewell to Hackney Wick’s Breakhouse Café
Local residents express their sadness at the independent Café’s closure, remembered particularly fondly for its veggie breakfast and community events.
The Breakhouse Café in Hackney Wick announced its closure this week, saying that it was no longer possible for it to make a profit on a day-to-day basis.
Posting on Instagram on Monday 20 March, owner Chloe Bailey-Williams wrote: ‘Due to various factors beyond our control it has become impossible to continue operating a profitable operation day to day.’
The cafe will still be available for private hire, shoots and super clubs, and is considering opening temporarily as a co-working space.
The announcement was met with an outpouring of well-wishes and sadness on Instagram, with over 60 people expressing their support.
A widely-loved independent café and events space in Hackney Wick, Breakhouse opened in September 2020 when the government’s Coronavirus restrictions only allowed social gatherings of up to six people.
Nestled in an industrial estate in Fish Island just beyond the street art and graffiti on Wick Lane, Bailey-Williams heard about the potential space for the café at the end of 2019.
Despite the many challenges of launching an independent business during a pandemic, Bailey-Williams said that she knew she would always regret it if she didn’t take the opportunity.
The Breakhouse’s menu featured a range of breakfast, brunch and lunch staples, with a focus on sustainable produce and plant-based options. The café’s veggie breakfast was a particular favourite in the Roman Road LDN office.
Guided by an environmentally-friendly ethos, everything from the drink bottles to the café furniture was stocked from sustainable suppliers, and as many ingredients as possible came from local producers and smaller brands.
On top of the pandemic, Breakhouse was hit by the hospitality industry’s staffing crisis that saw businesses across East London adapting their services to cope with increased post-pandemic demand and vacancies at an all-time high.
Bailey-Williams was able to keep the cafe afloat by closing for two weeks last spring and ultimately scaling back its menu, but to the sadness of many Hackney Wick locals, it has not been able to endure the mounting economic pressures that hit local businesses this winter.
If you are looking to book the space for private hire or register for a co-working desk space contact Chloe at: chloe@thebreakhouse.com.
Find our round-up of the best places to have coffee around Roman Road.
