27/06/2026
Mental health matters… but sometimes I wonder if we only remember that after the damage has already been done.
When we made the heartbreaking decision to close the doors of the pub, we shared it ourselves because we wanted our community to hear it from us. It wasn’t easy. It was one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever had to make.
What many people don’t know is that we didn’t just give up.
We fought for this place.
We put in the hard yards, the long days and the even longer nights.
We went back to running the coffee trailer before sunrise, then continued working at the pub, doing everything we possibly could to try and keep the doors open.
We sacrificed time with family, sleep, and our own wellbeing because we believed that if we just worked a little harder, maybe we could make it through.
Sometimes, despite giving something absolutely everything you have, it still isn’t enough.
And that is one of the hardest things to accept.
The same night we shared the news, a journalist contacted us.
We asked for just a little time to breathe and process what was happening.
The response we received was essentially, “I’m writing the story anyway because you’ve put it on a public platform.”
Since then, we’ve had multiple media outlets calling.
We chose not to answer because, quite honestly, we were simply trying to hold ourselves together.
What many people don’t see is that behind every headline is a real family. Real people carrying enormous stress.
Real people lying awake at night wondering how they’re going to get through tomorrow.
We’ve been so grateful for the many kind messages, phone calls and people who have checked in to see if we’re okay.
Those acts of kindness have meant more than you’ll ever know.
But we’ve also experienced judgement and criticism from people who don’t know our story.
We’re not asking for sympathy.
We’re asking for compassion.
Just because someone shares part of their life publicly doesn’t mean they’re inviting every detail to become a news story.
Sometimes people simply want to let their community know what’s happening—in their own words.
Mental health is something we all say we support.
But support isn’t only checking in after the story has been published. Sometimes it’s giving people the dignity, respect and space to breathe before one of the hardest moments of their lives becomes tomorrow’s headline.
To everyone who has stood beside us through this journey—thank you. Your kindness has carried us through some incredibly dark days.
And to everyone reading this, please remember that behind every business, every Facebook post and every news story are human beings. People who are trying their best, fighting battles you can’t see, and carrying burdens you may never understand.
Kindness doesn’t cost a thing—but to someone who’s struggling, it can mean absolutely everything. 🖤
