Customers have spoken of their sadness at the sudden closure of a much-loved Sheffield instution, which claimed to be the city's oldest independent, family-run café.

Vittles Café, on Glossop Road, in Broomhill, had been running since 1986 but shut its doors for good earlier this month. Announcing its closure, owners Mick and Paula Caswell said they did so with a 'heavy heart and a sense of duty to those who have made our cafe more than just a place to grab a coffee or a bite to eat'.

They added: "This café has been more than just a business to us; it has been a community, a refuge, and a place where friendships have blossomed. Your presence, your laughter, and your camaraderie have made this cafe a home away from home for so many and for so many years."

They said their lease was coming to an end in a year, and they had decided to sell 'rather than face the uncertainty of its expiration without any financial reward'. They added the new owner had bought the Vittles name so the café 'may be resurrected at some juncture and I wish them the very best with it if this turns out to be the case'.

Vittles Cafe, on Glossop Road, in Broomhill, Sheffield, had been running since 1986

They added: "Although our cafe's doors may be closing, the memories and friendships we've forged here will continue to thrive."

Vittles, where Mark and Paula took over from the original owners in 2012, had shut briefly in 2016 but reopened after the planned sale fell through.

Vittles Café Broomhill: Sadness at closure of Sheffield's 'oldest' independent family-run café on Glossop Road