By Rachel Fergusson
A manager at a popular Scots desserts restaurant has said the 鈥渃ommunity is in shock鈥 after the popular chain went into liquidation this week, with 45 staff members losing their jobs. Tributes have flooded in after Pancake Place, which has shops in Dunfermline, Dundee, Pitlochry and Elgin, announced its closure in a post on Facebook on Tuesday. The chain, which has been on the high street for 50 years, was a favourite haunt for breakfasts, lunches and pancakes among locals. In response to the announcement of its closure, hundreds of loyal fans have shared messages of support and nostalgia. Elise Lindsay, 61, the branch manager at the Dunfermline restaurant, said the liquidation had come as a 鈥渉uge shock鈥 to staff and customers. She said Pancake Place had been her life for more than three decades. 鈥淚鈥檓 just a bit shocked,鈥 she said. 鈥淎fter 35 years, you think you鈥檒l be there till you retire. When it鈥檚 a closure like that, you don鈥檛 get the chance to say goodbye to people you鈥檝e known for a long time. 鈥淲e were quite a close team and I鈥檇 worked with some of the girls there for years. And I always had staff who left and who came back. The messages of support have been absolutely fantastic, that鈥檚 what helped me.鈥 Ms Lindsay found out the news about the closure along with other staff on Monday. 鈥淭he liquidators just came in and that was it,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was at home and I got a phone call to go in. That was how I found out.鈥 Ms Lindsay said the abrupt closure came out of the blue and had come as a huge blow to the business鈥檚 hundreds of loyal customers. 鈥淚鈥檝e had friend requests on Facebook and I met quite a few people in the town the other day and they are all as sad as we are,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think the community is in shock. 鈥淚鈥檝e got customers who came to me for 35 years and watched them have kids, and their kids have kids. I think it was a shock to everyone who just came in and saw the doors closed. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a boy who comes in. He started with a kids鈥 pancake, went to a medium one, and before I left he was having a full adult鈥檚 pancake. So I鈥檝e watched him grow. 鈥淭here were regulars who sat at the same tables and didn鈥檛 have to give you their order, we just knew how they took their coffee and what they had to eat. 鈥淚t was fantastic, I鈥檒l miss every one of them.鈥 In response to the Facebook announcement, one customer wrote: 鈥淎 very sad day for all of the staff. I remember going there as a youngster in the 1980s. It was always a treat, but never stopped going right up until a couple of weeks ago. 鈥淚n the early days, you could get hot Ribena and ice-cream drinks, always had lilt in mine along with a portion of spoon size pancakes. Can’t imagine the town without this place being open.鈥 Another regular at the restaurant said: 鈥淎fter going twice a week for the last 40 years can鈥檛 believe we won鈥檛 be back – where will [we] go now? 鈥淭hanks to all staff for great service over the years and friendships.鈥 The business was bought by Perth businessman Blain Ross last year. The deal was said to include the chain鈥檚 original pancake recipe from 1973, a closely kept secret. It is understood all four branches of the restaurant have now closed to customers.