St Leonards vegan eatery to close

The business has been going for four years, with the Kings Road shop open for a year and a half. But it is set to close in mid-April due to the landlord not renewing the lease.

Plant The Seed is run by Jen McNeill and Hayley Roe. They started the business during lockdown when both of the owners were furloughed in Walthamstow, they ended up in Hastings, then St Leonards and love it here.

Jen McNeill said: “I am sad to say that our last week of trading at 57 Kings Road will be mid-April as our landlord isn’t renewing our lease. It is not a huge surprise as we knew it may not be renewed.

"It’s not the end of our business or the end of our journey. It is just a new chapter.

“As gutting as this is, I am determined to end this chapter on a positive note. I’m really proud of the little community we’ve built here. I love that you come for lunch but stay for a chat. I am honoured when I see some of you multiple times a week, every week. I am touched when people travel hours to come here. And I love how involved you all get with the menu. There are so many diehards out there.

We are not a hundred percent sure what is going to happen next. We’ve been running Plant the Seed in various capacities full-time for the last four years and it’s been a crazy ride.

"It’s no secret that it’s incredibly tough for small businesses at the moment so please bear with us if we take this as an opportunity to have a bit of a breather and get some perspective before any next steps.

“But in the meantime - we’re still here for another six or so weeks! So whether you’re a regular customer or haven’t popped in yet, I hope to see you soon before we close up shop. Let’s go out with a bang!”

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