THE Pannier Market Cafe in Tavistock, a popular meeting place for the town?s elderly community, has been sold.
Husband and wife team John and Sandra Parris are calling it a day after 13 years of serving their loyal customers with fried breakfasts and roast lunches.
Sandra, 57, said the decision to sell up was extremely difficult but had to be made due to her husband?s ill health ? the result of an accident during his 25-year stint as a Royal Marine.
?We really don?t want to leave,? she said. ?But we?ve got no choice really. John?s finding it harder and harder to cope in the kitchen because he has very bad hips and legs.
?He was in Norway with the Marines when a truck overturned and he was trapped underneath. That was in 1975, but the injuries still affect him today.
?We have had 13 very happy years here and we are very upset to be leaving our customers behind. We have made a lot of good friends and we would like to thank all our regulars for their kind support over the years.
?We haven?t had a chance to say goodbye properly to many of them because things have been so rushed. It?s very upsetting, but I know we?re doing the right thing.?
Sandra, who was deputy matron in a care home before taking over the cafe in 1989, said she was looking forward to spending more time with her seven grandchildren while
considering her options.
?I now have a couple of weeks to think about the future,? she said. ?I would like to start up my own ironing business so I may try to get that off the ground soon.?
John, 58, better known as Jack, said he was sad to be hanging up his apron for the last time. ?I feel a bit sad because I?ve still got a few years to go before retirement age.
?I?ll miss the daily contact with the local people and the market traders we?ve got to know so well over the years.?
The couple?s departure has been a blow to the cafe?s regulars, many of whom are elderly and like to meet up with friends there.
Customer and friend, Vanni Cook, said: ?People are distraught to see John and Sandra leave. They?re such a lovely couple and they?ve always kept the cafe old-fashioned.
?To many elderly people in Tavistock the cafe provides a convenient, inexpensive venue for socialising.?
The cafe?s new owners are Stephen and Rachel Gallie from Plympton, who took charge of their new venture last week.
The couple, who have three young children, are intending to move to Tavistock next year.
Stephen wanted to assure any worried customers that he has no plans for making sweeping changes.
?We definitely want to keep things traditional and keep the same customers,? he said. ?It?s important to build on the customer base that is already there.?