Lancaster coffee shop makes difficult decision to close

18a Lancaster on Brock Street won Coffee Shop of the Year in 2025 and recently in February opened a new sandwich shop bringing a taste of New York to Lancaster.

Luiza from 18a Lancaster said on their website: “It’s the end of an era. With a heavy heart, we’re sharing that we will be closing at the end of April.

“This isn’t something we ever wanted to write. We’ve held on with hope for as long as we could, but the reality is the business is no longer financially viable.

"Over the past few days, that’s become clear, and we’ve made the difficult decision to close before things go any further.

"Hospitality is under real pressure, and its left us without the reserves to continue safely.

“Brew (It will always be Brew to me and so many other people) has been more than just a coffee shop. It’s been our space, our community and something we’ve poured everything into.

“To everyone who has supported us, whether you popped in once, became a regular or used us as a special occasion, we thank you.

"It has meant more than I can properly put into words.

"To our team, who have shown up, worked hard, and cared deeply about Brew. You’ve been a huge part of what made this place special.

"We kindly ask that you respect our team during this time. This decision was not theirs, and we’d really appreciate that they’re not put in a position to answer questions about the closure.

“This is not how we imagined things ending, and it’s incredibly tough to say goodbye. But we’re proud of what Brew has been and grateful for every single person who’s been part of it.

“Thank you for being part of our story.”

A customer commented on the Facebook post about 18a Lancaster closing.

Chas Jacobs said: “So sorry to hear this. Will miss calling for a coffee and cake (or takeaway!). It is incredibly hard trading now and I feel for every independent business out there.

"You created a really special place and will be missed in Lancaster.”