Wheelbirks, the much-loved cafe and ice cream parlour in Stocksfield, Northumberland, will serve its final scoops on Sunday, September 6, with owners confirming they have two weeks left before closing. The Richardson family, who run the business, announced the closure at the end of April and have been seeking someone to take it on ever since.
Emotional update from owners
In a Facebook post over the weekend, the owners wrote: "Two weeks today will be our very last day managing Wheelbirks Parlour. We are still hopeful that we will find the right people to become the next custodians of this very special place, but as the weeks pass, it is inevitably becoming more real that our time here is coming to an end."
The statement continued: "We have shared so many wonderful and special times at the Parlour, and we feel incredibly lucky to have had the support of so many lovely customers over the years. Thank you to everyone who, day after day, tells us and our staff how much you love the Parlour, how special this place is to you, and how much you are going to miss it. It genuinely means more to us than you could know. We will miss it too."
Customers devastated
Since the closure was announced, Wheelbirks has been selling Christmas and Halloween decorations earlier than ever before, ahead of its final day of business. The news has prompted a huge response from customers, with one writing: "I am devastated Wheelbirks is closing. Its a story book of beautiful memories of my children and lovely family days out. I will treasure them always."
Another added: "We are gutted, we love visiting when we can and it will always be somewhere I think fondly of, with many happy memories with my children."
