Twenty-seven people have lost their job following the sudden closure of a town centre restaurant and shop.

Bosses at Macknade in Ashford's Elwick Place said Covid, coupled with the rising cost of living, was a "crisis too many" leaving the fledgling business with little choice but to scale back operations.

The 27 people employed at the cafe and shop have lost their jobs, something which chief executive of the company, Stefano Cuomo, said was a "heartbreaking" decision to make.

He said: “Macknade Ashford was always about placemaking and building community, so we opened with great confidence in February 2020, only to close six weeks later due to Covid."

"While we lost several years of building footfall, we felt we had done enough to carry through and capitalise on a return to normality as the pressures of Covid eased in early 2022.

"Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on footfall and customer spend has been a crisis too many for our fledgling business.

"While we pushed through 2022 as far as we could, it became clear that we didn’t have the required footfall and spend for the site, and would not be able to deliver the viable business we had planned so long for.

"It is devastating to have fought so hard these past three years, only now to have to close, and worst of all, it is heartbreaking to lose our team who have put their heart and soul into the business.

"Serviced Retail Ltd, the trading company at Macknade Ashford, employed 27 people, in roles across retail and hospitality, and they are not only part of the Macknade family, but also integral to the Ashford community.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported us in Ashford.

"We hope we had an impact on the town during the time we were here.

"Macknade Faversham continues to trade as normal, and we hope to see as many of you as we can there.”

The business opened in the £75 million leisure complex shortly before lockdown in 2020 taking over the unit previously used by Ashford International Model Railway Education Centre.

The closure, which was announced by signs on the doors, comes after the town centre site dramatically reduced in size last month when bosses closed the shop aspect of the business to focus on running the restaurant.

In June, Macknade announced plans to open a new 120-seat restaurant and food shop on Folkestone's Harbour Arm, however the plans were later put on pause.

The branch in Faversham will remain open as usual.