A COUPLE has reminisced on their popular village café as they look to leave the venture behind later this year.

Paul Long and partner Lucie Long-Booth run their small business, the Café Bijou, together in Coggeshall.

The pair have been running the café for more than a year, however, are looking to move on from the business in December due to family commitments.

Lucie said: “In May 2021 the shop came up on Facebook available to rent, I mentioned in passing to Paul that I had always wanted a coffee shop.

“The next day he said to me to follow your dream, so we did.

“We opened quietly and followed what Coggeshall wanted and made incredible build your own sandwiches and ridiculous flavoured bread puddings.”

The café proved to be a big hit in the town and helped rally the community together to help Ukraine earlier this year.

However, in a moment of realisation, Lucie spoke of the reason she and Paul are now looking to leave the Café Bijou behind.

She said: “The decision to close was made in Tesco car park as I realised my children were playing second fiddle to the café and I was missing their childhood.

“Coggeshall is home so closing is sad, but we have made lifelong friends here who will probably end up in our living room drinking coffee now, as long as they still bring their dogs.

“We have made memories that we will carry forever here including the first all-day breakfast quesadilla, waving off the Quack Express to Ukraine, Priti Patel having coffee here and countless sandwich combinations.

“We have recently started grazing platters which have taken off which means I can be creating fun food for all sorts of people for all occasions while spending time being mum.

“It’s been the most wonderful journey and it’s not over yet.”

The couple is now on the hunt for new owners to carry on the business.

Lucie said: “We would love someone to come in and take over. So, we are selling the business and all fixtures and fittings.

"I’d love someone who can dedicate the time the café deserves so Coggeshall has a little bit of Bijou for longer."