Scarborough's award-winning The Hideout café announces it will close with Valentine's Day farewell

The Hideout, on Columbus Ravine, opened in June 2019 after an extensive refurbishment of the former Coffee Beans café and is known for its eclectic mix of historic artefacts and mementoes from bygone eras.

However, the owners have now announced that the popular café bar will shut whilst they “concentrate on other business interests”.

In a statement, The Hideout said: “We want to thank all our customers, friends and suppliers who have been with us on this challenging but exciting journey – you have all been amazing!

“Most of all we want to thank our brilliant staff team; we’re proud of each and every one of them for helping deliver the delicious food and great customer service that we’ve built our reputation on.”

In 2022, the company won a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award and The Scarborough News Excellence in Business Awards Leisure and Lifestyle Retail Business of the Year.

The announcement has prompted an outpouring of upset from regular customers and staff.

“Absolutely gutted but good luck in your new adventure and fingers crossed the new owners do as good a job and the food is as excellent as it was,” one customer said.

“The greatest team of people I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with; absolutely heartbroken”, added another.

It was confirmed that The Hideout will trade for the last time with a Valentine’s Day goodbye on Tuesday February 14 and close “temporarily” from Wednesday February 15 during the search for a new owner.

The business, which is owned by the Padgham family – who also run the St Cecelia’s Care Home Group – is now on the market for £95,000.

However, the Padgham family will retain ownership of the building and plan to convert the upper floors into holiday lets.

Hideout Manager Jordan Padgham said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved at The Hideout in taking over the previous café and creating something different and unique for Scarborough … we have made it one of the top cafés in Scarborough on Tripadvisor.

“Now we need someone with drive, passion and commitment to take it over and on to the next level whilst we concentrate our efforts on growing and developing other business opportunities.”