'Scared, heartbroken' café owners stage sit-in and refuse to leave after being 'booted out by landlord'

The owners of a popular Withington cafe say they are ‘scared, heartbroken, and in shock’ after allegedly being ‘locked out without notice by their landlord’.

Cafe Blah was unexpectedly closed on Monday (October 7) after its locks were reportedly changed by landlords H Homes. Tenants Adam Porrino and Tess Parkinson say they were then allowed to enter the cafe on Tuesday (October 8) in order to collect the belongings of some third-party musicians which had been left inside.

But the pair said on Tuesday evening they have no intention of leaving the premises until they’re given ‘a fair notice period’. Staging a sit-in, Adam and Tess claim they have paid rent on time every month in the four years Cafe Blah has been open, including for the entirety of October 2024.

READ MORE: 'We're innocent, why are our lives so dramatically ruined?'

They also told the Manchester Evening News they believe the dispute with H Homes stems from unresolved lease negotiations, in which they rejected an offer of a ‘65 percent increase’ in rent.

“The original lease ran out in August but it was protected,” Adam said. “We have been negotiating for a ‘right to renew’ section 26 [agreement].

“A few days ago that expired, which is not great for us, but without giving us formal notice of eviction they changed the locks.”

Tess added: “Even though we were in this position [of an expired section 26], they agreed to give us notice period. They have jumped to this stage.”

Speaking from inside the cafe where the ‘sit-in’ was taking place, Adam said the pair ‘do not know what to do at this point’. He went on: “Our heads are everywhere.”

Local politicians have also attempted to intervene in the dispute before the ‘sit-in’ took place, according to Coun Garry