‘It’s a massive gap and hole in the community’: Crouch End residents say farewell to Banner’s café

Crouch End residents have said farewell to a local favourite eatery after 31 years of business.

The iconic Banner’s Cafe closed its doors at the end of September to the dismay of locals.

Famous for its menu of Caribbean-inspired classics, the café is also known for once being visited by Bob Dylan.

His visit was marked with a gold plaque saying, ‘Bob Dylan sat at this table, August 1993,’ at the table where he sat.

Announcing the news back in May, owner Juliette Banner wrote on Instagram: “I could write this message with a heavy heart, but instead it’s filled with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and accomplishment.

“To the people of Crouch End and anyone who has walked through our doors over the past 30 years – Banner’s will be closing in September.

“Yesterday, I made this announcement to the staff. It won’t surprise you that their collective reaction was emotional. It was a pure representation of the character of this wonderful group of people, who have self-styled the vibe of the restaurant over the years.”

Crouch End locals have spoken of the “massive gap and hole” the café’s closure has left in the community.

Matt, who lived in the community for 15 years said: “Independent places like that create just a beautiful energy and they bring people together and I think we need more of that.

“It’s a massive gap and hole in Crouch End’s local community. I hope it gets replaced with something equally as beautiful.”

Caroline, another local said: “I guess people can’t afford to use them anymore so it’s all part of the same problem. It’s a pity.”