After more than a decade as one of Stoke Newington’s most beloved community hubs, Lizzy’s On The Green has closed its shutters for the final time. Owner Lizzy Bassham confirmed the news in an emotional statement on Instagram, citing the mounting financial pressures facing small hospitality businesses.
“In the current financial climate, it has become increasingly difficult to continue the business in a way that aligns with the ethics I value so deeply,” she wrote. According to Bassham, rising staff costs, shrinking margins and the challenges of running a highly seasonal operation have made the cafe impossible to sustain.
Opened when Bassham was just 28, the outdoor cafe on Newington Green quickly became a neighbourhood fixture — a place that, in her words, “offered something affordable for everyone.” Over 12 years, it grew into a space defined by its regulars. “I have seen your babies born, your children graduate, your parents pass, and your furry friends come and go,” she said. “It has been an honour to be welcomed and held by this very special community… and to provide a safe space where fun and expression were encouraged every single day.”
Bassham also paid tribute to her team, including the self-named “Female Barista Mafia of 2013”, whom she credits with shaping the cafe’s spirit and supporting her through “laughter, tears, screams, love and loss”.
She added that she had long joked Lizzy’s On The Green would survive almost anything. “I always said that if the world ended, all that would remain would be cockroaches, Cher, and Lizzy’s On The Green… but somewhere deep down, I knew Cher would outlive us all.”
A “cafe funeral” is in the works, with Bassham hoping to gather customers and staff from across its 12-year history. “It has been my honour,” she wrote. “I will miss you all deeply.”
