An independent restaurant in Chester will close its doors for good this weekend.

Neighbourhood, located on Northgate Street, will host its final service this Sunday (27 September), bringing an end to six years of business in the city centre.

Owned by Catherine and Dave Graham, the venue first opened in 2020 as an artisan bakehouse during the Covid-19 pandemic. It replaced The Granary, a historic health food store originally opened in 1976 by vegetarians Chris and Kate Quartermaine.

In 2022, Neighbourhood Bakehouse announced plans to expand by knocking through into the adjoining unit left vacant by Lifeworx Health Store.

The expansion increased the indoor seating capacity from seven up to 50, allowing the independent business to introduce a licensed bar, a full food menu, a popular brunch service, and a dedicated venue for live jazz and local events.

In a statement shared this week, the business thanked the Chester community for voting with their feet and supporting them from their early days as a deli through to the restaurant expansion.

Owner Catherine Graham said: "It's difficult to put into words how much this place means to us, & I feel incredibly proud to see it grow over the years .

"We will miss hearing the laughter, the clink of the glasses and the big high fives from our team for smashing another brilliant busy shift."

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The venue was well-known for fostering local community spirit, hosting Spanish language classes, nutrition workshops, wine tastings, and highly successful jazz nights.

The statement also paid tribute to past and present staff for their dedication, as well as local suppliers and traders.

It concluded: "It's time to say goodbye as we move onto our next adventure, but will always hold the fond memories of this wonderful place.

"Our final service is this Sunday 27th September, please pop by and see us one final time so we can thankyou for all your support and love."