A TOWN centre café closed its doors for the final time at the weekend.

Rhode Island Coffee, on the corner of Knowsley Street and Corporation Street, served up its last cappuccino on Saturday.

Baristas at the café bid farewell to town with a message to their loyal customers written on the café’s window.

Alongside a ‘crying face’ emoji and a heart, the staff’s colourful message said: “Bye-bye Bolton, love from Amy and Charlotte and John.”

Coffee lovers took to social media to express their dismay at the departure of another business from the town.

Posting on the I Belong to Bolton page, David Bailey said: “This is really sad, not just because a coffee shop has closed but because at least four hard working young Boltonians are now unemployed.

“I frequented this coffee shop about four times a week because it was local and a good brew. Some people prefer going to places like Nero or Costa. Buy local and you help local people - it’s simple.”

Jayne Brooks added: “Sad. It will be missed.”

The cafe was saved from the threat of closure last year after loyal customers launched a petition and wrote to bosses asking bosses not to shut up shop.

But this year there has been no such reprieve for the coffee-lovers’ haunt and its employees.

Rhode Island Coffee, which has five other branches across the north west, including Stockport and Blackburn did not respond to a request for a comment from The Bolton News.