Café De Paris, Famous For Hosting Stars Like Judy Garland, Closes Doors Due To Pandemic

London’s iconic Café de Paris has closed its doors permanently after 96 years due to the losses it incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The iconic venue, which is touted as one of the oldest clubs in Europe, confirmed the news of the closure on its official Twitter account. In a statement, the café revealed that it will be shutting down due to the drastic effects of the global health crisis.

“With a heavy heart, we can confirm that we will be shutting the doors of our beloved Café de Paris for good,” the statement read.

The management also explained that they did no go down “without a fight” and did everything to fight the adverse effects of the pandemic. However, the burden of temporarily closing the place due to the lockdowns turned out to be quite devastating for them.

The statement also noted that the café did everything to support its staff and their livelihoods amid the pandemic, but it was really hard for them to carry on after losing so much.

“We wanted you all to know that we have not gone out without a fight. We tried everything but the devastating effect of COVID-19, in the end, was too much. We did our best to support our staff, their livelihoods & respect everyone’s health and safety but in the end, like so many other hospitality businesses, we have reached the end of the road,” Café de Paris said.

The venue concluded the statement by expressing gratitude toward its customers. “We thank all of our amazing customers for their continued love and support,” the statement concluded.

This is not the first time Café de Paris has seen such a devastating end. The club was bombed in 1941 during World War II and reopened seven years later, according to a report in Euro News.

Fans were left gutted that the iconic place, which hosted stars like Judy Garland, Prince and David Bowie, was closing down and shared their disappointment on social media.

“So sad to hear this, my wife and I got married here in Feb 2019 and I always thought I’d bring our children and grandchildren back in the future, not to mention Anniversaries. Gutted for all the amazing staff and that people will no longer get to experience this beautiful venue,” said Graham Curry, one of the ardent fans of the venue.

“Nooooooo. Such a beautiful space. Spent a lifetime there, on and off, being part of huge events over the years and of course dancing and dining in my 20s. Great staff. Cruel Covid. So sorry,” @OfficialTracieB wrote.

The liquidators, who were appointed to handle the closure of the café, said that they hoped for a better December, but low customer numbers forced them to make the hard decision.

“Despite the hope that December would generate a much-needed upturn in trading income. It was apparent low customer numbers, uncertainty surrounding trading, and mounting creditors and rent arrears left the company with no alternative,” Euronews quoted them as saying.