Derry café announces closure this week as building set for refurbishment

In an emotional post on Facebook, the café owner Kiera Duddy expressed her regret at the closure of the Shipquay Place café but says she is grateful for everything the space has brought to them. The Pickled Duck have three other cafés – Greenhaw, along the Quay and in Catalyst at the Bay Road so they aren’t leaving completely but owner Kiera says the ‘Café on the Square’ will be a big loss for the city.

She said: “The building renovations had been talked about for a while, so we were trying to get as long out of it as we could. The building needs some major tender loving care and the work is going to be starting immediately, so we've had to ship out.”

Because she knew they would have to leave the premises eventually, Kiera has been working overtime to cover staff numbers so that no jobs would be lost when the closure did happen. All staff have been assured that their jobs are safe and hours will be retained coming into next week.

"I only had a day and a half off for Christmas,” continued Kiera. “I've been working seven days a week and I haven't been able to take on any other permanent staff. My first priority is my staff and a lot of them have been there from day one in the Square so I had to make sure that their jobs were safe and fill in those gaps. Now with the closure, I'm able to get my paperwork in order and I’m even getting a day off!

“It is sad that we’re closing and it's going to be a big loss for me personally and for the city. It's a very successful business, which is thriving, and we need thriving businesses in the city centre. There has been a few other premises coming my way so far, even since I put the post on Facebook, so there isn't a vacant premises in town that I haven't looked at or been in. I've looked at them all, it's just trying to get the right location, at the right price, for the right footfall.

“The Guildhall Square was great for the tourists, that's where the buses are, that's where the tours start and end so we always got a good turn from that. Local hotels would send people down too and that’s where we got a lot of trade in the summer. We’ve got our locals as well, who have become great friends over the years so hopefully they keep coming to the other cafés."

Kiera has felt quite emotional at the closure of the café, which was first opened seven and a half years ago and was the first of her four cafés to open. She says she has had to prepare herself to read the comments replying to her Facebook post.

"I've seen the amount of comments but I haven't had the emotional strength to read them all just yet,” she continued. “But I will read them all and reply when I’m ready. Even this week working in town, everybody's coming in and giving me a hug, which I've asked for, and I appreciate it because I love a hug. Everybody's been so nice and they all feel the loss too. For many people, it’s a place where we get together and meet friends, get away from work or whatever else so they’ll miss that. My customers have been amazing. There’s customers that I've met that have now become friends and they have followed me to Greenhaw, followed me to The Quay, and have followed me to Catalyst as well. Without them, we wouldn't be here so I am totally grateful. I must say, my staff are amazing as well and I wouldn't be here without them either.”

Planning is underway to convert a building on Foyle Street into a whiskey emporium and the building that houses the Pickled Duck is said to be included in those plans.

“It’s an amazing location so I hope that whatever goes in there will reflect that and be amazing. There’s so much history about the building and the area and I'm so glad that we've been a part of it for seven and a half years. The fact that we've been a wee bit of history in the city centre and the Guildhall Square is just amazing.”

For more information on the Pickled Duck cafés, follow them on social media.