Fife cafe to close after nine years due to recruitment struggles

A village cafe in Fife will close after almost a decade after struggling to recruit staff.

Opening a café was a long held dream for Lis McTaggart. Along with her husband John, she opened McTaggart’s in Aberdour in 2013.

The business is popular with locals who have continued to support the High Street café during the pandemic and this year’s cost of living crisis.

However, difficulties finding chefs mean the owners are calling it a day.

The café will close at end of service on August 28. Three staff will be made redundant.

Owner on decision to close Fife cafe

John said: “We went down to opening five days a week as we haven’t had enough staff on the food side.

“We’ve had the same team for the best part of nine years but had a couple of people leave this year. It’s been very difficult to replace them.

“It’s led to more pressure on the remaining staff to keep our high levels of service.

“The students we have had during the summer have been great, but they will soon be returning to their studies.

“We have been very reluctant to close but we just can’t continue.”

He described chefs as the hardest job to fill in hospitality.

John said the café is unable to compete with wages offered elsewhere, describing the tight labour market as an “indirect consequence of Covid”.

The family own the premises and are open to offers for another business coming into the space.

The couple’s son Joe also works in the Aberdour café.

John said: “It was a dream of my wife’s to run a food establishment. It’s affecting her more than me.

“We have great customers, there’s great community spirit. People are happy, staff are happy there’s a great buzz about the place.

“I hope someone else can come in so they can enjoy the great times we’ve had.”

Social media message to customers

The business informed its customers on Friday afternoon via social media.

The post said: “This has not been a decision easily reached, but the ongoing impact of Covid coupled with our ‘age and stage’ in life has speeded up the process for us.

“Following extended consultations with our staff, we are all of the opinion that this is the only resolution under the current staffing circumstances.

“We and the café team thank you all for your company and, in many cases, friendship these last nine years.”