Locals in Oranmore, Galway, are mourning the imminent loss of beloved wine bar and restaurant Armorica.
Owners Nicholas and Natasha first opened Armorica's doors on the town's busy main street in 2017, but after eight years in business, have decided it's time to shut them.
The owners compared the cost of running the popular spot to 'owning a vintage BMW', giving customers an indication of the kind of expenses the business faced.
In a short and sweet message shared on social media, Nicholas and Natasha wrote: 'Dear customers, It hasn't been easy, but we have decided to close Armorica. Running this place has been like owning a vintage BMW! Really cool and good looking, but it cost you a bomb!'
'You know, when it's not the cylinder head gasket, it's the alternator, and when it's not the alternator, it's the distributor head! And petrol is not cheap nowadays! So we'll do one more last ride in the month of September, all windows opened, and wearing no seatbelt!'
'Last service [Saturday, September 27th]. Our journey, however, doesn't stop here,' Nicholas and Natasha teased. 'As some of you know already, we've opened Cornerstone cafe in Oranmore, where we'll keep the Armorica philosophy alive: Homemade, organic, local and seasonal as much as possible, no avocado and ONLY WILD Irish fish!'
'We want to thank all our customers, amazing staff, suppliers, family, and friends for the incredible support we had all those years and the phenomenal Oranmore community!
'The adventure continues... God bless Armorica!'
The news comes after a slew of restaurant and café closures were announced in Dublin, including Italian spot Mamma Mia, and longstanding Rathfarnham restaurant Little Caesars.
