A popular vegan and vegetarian cafe says it is "truly heartbreaking" to make staff redundant on Christmas Eve after announcing it will close for the final time due to crippling running costs.

The Great Oak Cafe in Llanidloes will close its doors this weekend after telling customers that the business can no longer keep going with rising costs.

"We are, very sadly, unable to continue trading as The Great Oak Café," the popular eaterie said in an online post on Thursday (December 22).

"The reasons for this are similar to every other business struggling or having to shut their doors right now – the bills coming in are greater than the money we are taking and no business can sustain that imbalance, therefore we are devastated to announce that Christmas Eve 2022 will be our final day of trading.

"We would like to thank our suppliers who will feel the loss of our custom and our customers who have been so understanding when we have had to raise our prices to keep up with the cost of ingredients.

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"We would finally like to thank our wonderful, dedicated and hardworking staff who work their socks off daily to produce the delicious vegan/vegetarian food that the café is so well known for. To have to make our Great Oak Café family redundant on Christmas Eve is truly heartbreaking."

Customers have flooded the cafe's social media post with kind messages following the sudden news that the business will close before the New Year.

Lisa Stead described the cafe as the "heartbeat of Llanidloes". She said: "The food is truly excellent, good nutritious food is a showcase for our town. I am so sorry to hear this news. Sending love to everyone who works there and all that they do. Talented people, what a huge loss for our town.

John Pierpoint said: "The Great Oak Café is one of the reasons we make a beeline for Llanidloes whenever we're in Wales. Such a wonderful place: great food, friendly and caring staff, lively, community atmosphere."

John Lubran agreed saying that the cafe is a "public institution" which Llanidloes "can't afford to lose".

Meanwhile, Philip Stallard said: "These dreadful times are proving too much for the best of businesses but you're such a major feature of Llani life! Great Oak Street won't be the same any more."

In November, the landlords of The Crown and Anchor in Llanidloes closed the popular pub because of a "perfect storm" of rising fuel and stock costs amid a financial crisis and the fallout from the pandemic had finally caught up with them.