It’s with very heavy hearts that we find ourselves here.

Over the years, we’ve watched some real gems of our community disappear. Independent businesses that brought character, creativity and life to our city have slowly been forced to close their doors, and it’s becoming harder and harder for small businesses to survive.

Rising rents, business rates, increasing employment costs, energy bills, food costs and the ever-growing cost of simply keeping the doors open are putting enormous pressure on independent businesses everywhere.

And now, very sadly, Projects is facing that same reality.

Projects has never just been a café and shop. It has been a collection of people. A community. It has been morning coffees, lunches, birthdays, catch-ups, first dates, difficult conversations, live music, local makers, artists, new friendships and a home away from home for some.

It has been a place where people have walked through the door and somehow become a part of something.

I’ve watched this place of ours change, grow, stumble, learn, evolve and become something far bigger than we could have imagined when we first opened the doors in 2017, I’ve watched customers become regulars, regulars become friends, and our team become family.

Sitting here now, thinking about potentially losing it, I feel incredibly proud and grateful for what we have managed to achieve but ,also heartbroken, at the prospect of losing it all.

But this isn't where we want our story to end.

We are going to do everything we can to give Projects a fighting chance.

If Projects has ever meant something to you, we’re going to need your help. We’re asking our wonderful community to help us weather this storm.

Whether you contribute £5 or £500, you’d be helping bring Projects back to life and we would incredibly grateful for the support!