Wakefield cafes pull out all the stops to survive difficult year

She said that any loss of shops has a knock-on effect that the city needs avoid.

Margaret Blackshaw, from Mocca Moocho on Cross Square, said: “We don’t want to lose any more businesses and we don’t want Wakefield to have any more empty shops.

“The more we have the more people we may be able to attract from the surrounding areas.

“It’s important to mention Wakefield Council are being quite helpful. Everyone seems to have received some support one way or another, without that we would have struggled massively so we have a lot to be thankful for when we come out the other end.

“And we’ve definitely had good support from customers as best they can we have quite a loyal following young and old.”

Sarah Pullen owns Cafe 19 in Wakefield city centre.

It’s been closed for seven months and reopened shortly before the second lockdown.

She said: “It’s been tough but we’re here, open every day and plodding along, but so far we’re surviving and plodding on like everyone is.”

Meanwhile the former Duchniak’s Polish cafe and restaurant Kirkgate has been taken over by chef Sebastian Rylko and his partner.

Sebastian has 13 years experience making mostly British food but decided to reintroduce Polish food to the recently renamed Babsi Bar and Restaurant after popular demand online.