The owners of a popular caf茅 which has been running for a quarter of a century have announced they are closing their doors in a heart-breaking statement. Coffee Island II, located within the Merseyway Shopping Centre, has been a popular name in Stockport Town Centre for 25 years for its hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches, and burgers. But it has now closed after owners said they had been 鈥榣eft with no choice鈥 following a mixture of too many coffee shops opening within the area, and a decline in the number of other shops nearby. The owners said the two factors had meant that it had 鈥榖ecome increasingly difficult to continue operating鈥. Owners also cited the closure of the A6 roundabout, which has been in place since March and will last a year, as having had an impact on business. Posting on social media, the owners of the Stockport venue said: 鈥淕oodbye. It is with deep sadness that we announce the closure of Coffee Island after 25 wonderful years of serving our community. 鈥淭his decision has not been easy. Over the past year, the opening of more than seven new caf茅s in and around the Merseyway Shopping Centre has significantly impacted our business. 鈥淐ombined with the decline in nearby shops and ongoing disruptions such as the A6 roundabout closure, it has become increasingly difficult to continue operating.鈥 In the statement, the coffee shop鈥檚 owners also praised its 鈥榓mazing customers鈥 and said it had 鈥榳ished things could be different鈥 in terms of its decision to close. They added: 鈥淲e want to take this moment to sincerely thank all of our amazing customers. Your loyalty, kindness, and support over the years have meant the world to us. You鈥檝e been more than customers 鈥 you鈥檝e been part of our Coffee Island family. Join our Stockport WhatsApp group HERE 鈥淲e truly wish things could be different. Every member of our team is heartbroken, but unfortunately, this was a decision we had no choice but to make.鈥 One customer Babs Whitelegg took to social media to share her upset at the news of the closure, describing it as ‘the best caf茅 ever’ and a place that was a favourite with her son. Sharing her post with the Manchester Evening News, she wrote: “Coffee island has been a cornerstone for Stopfordians for quarter of a century, and Owen has been coming here since he was three months old. “The staff were the best staff you could ever have, everything was customer focused. They bent backwards for my lad. Very sad news to come across today. My heart goes out to the staff.” The Merseyway Shopping Centre has undergone a number of changes in recent years. Last month, the Stockroom cultural centre and caf茅 opened its doors , with its grand opening weekend being hailed by Stockport Council as Merseyway鈥檚 busiest weekend of the year so far with more than 15,000 visitors. In 2024 altogether, Merseyway also secured three major new retailers in the form of Tesco , Poundland and Eyehut, whilst JD relocated to a larger unit. The shopping centre also renewed leases for 13 tenants, including OFFICE, HMV and The Perfume Shop. But it has also seen some closures too. Last month, it was also announced that IKEA would be closing its Plan and Order point at the shopping centre, which was situated near to the coffee shop. Tessuti, which specialises in designer luxury clothing, also closed at the end of the year. The company was recently acquired by Frasers Group, who are also behind Sports Direct and House of Fraser.