Please help Lonely Mouth

Hi, I’m Olivia — or Liv — and I run Lonely Mouth, Bristol’s first Japanese listening café, based at the top of Gloucester Road.

We opened just over a year ago with a dream: to create something truly special for this city — a space where great food, community, and music come together. A place where people could slow down, enjoy beautiful Japanese-inspired food, and discover the magic of eclectic vinyl played by local DJs and musicians.

We’re proud of what we’ve built. In just a year, Lonely Mouth has become a home to hundreds of artists, a team of 12 brilliant staff, and a beloved part of the local scene. Every time I see people connecting in our space — dancing, eating, sharing memories — it reminds me why I worked so hard to make this real.

But today, I’m reaching out with something incredibly hard for me to ask: I need your help.

Despite our best efforts and careful planning, we’ve found ourselves in a financial crisis — hit with a sudden, unexpected £32,000 debt.

Here’s what’s happened:

EDF Energy has issued a £12,000 backdated bill, despite us paying our monthly bills regularly (£500/month). They've recalculated our usage and now demand this amount in full.

We have also at the same time been hit with a £22,000 VAT bill after going over the threshold earlier this year. Due to huge HMRC delays, we weren’t able to start charging VAT until our registration came through — by which time we had already missed two quarters. Despite explaining this and asking for a manageable payment plan, we've been refused any flexibility.

As the founder, I’ve built Lonely Mouth from the ground up with no investors, no financial safety net — just years of savings, pop-ups, and relentless hard work.

And now, this debt threatens everything we’ve built.

I know times are tough for so many people. But if Lonely Mouth has ever brought you joy — through a meal, a song, a memory — and you’re in a position to help, I’d be endlessly grateful.

I’ll be doing everything I can to raise funds — including upcoming fundraising events — but I wanted to create this page because several of you have already asked how you could support. Any contribution, no matter how small, makes a huge difference.

Thank you so much for reading, for your kindness, and for believing in Lonely Mouth.

With love and hope,

Liv x