Closure of beloved Scottish pancake restaurants a 'huge shock' to staff amid 45 job losses

A manager at a popular Scots desserts restaurant has said the “community is in shock” after the popular chain went into liquidation this week, with 45 staff members losing their jobs.

Tributes have flooded in after Pancake Place, which has shops in Dunfermline, Dundee, Pitlochry and Elgin, announced its closure in a post on Facebook on Tuesday.

The chain, which has been on the high street for 50 years, was a favourite haunt for breakfasts, lunches and pancakes among locals. In response to the announcement of its closure, hundreds of loyal fans have shared messages of support and nostalgia.

Elise Lindsay, 61, the branch manager at the Dunfermline restaurant, said the liquidation had come as a “huge shock” to staff and customers. She said Pancake Place had been her life for more than three decades.

“I’m just a bit shocked,” she said. “After 35 years, you think you’ll be there till you retire. When it’s a closure like that, you don’t get the chance to say goodbye to people you’ve known for a long time.

“We were quite a close team and I’d worked with some of the girls there for years. And I always had staff who left and who came back. The messages of support have been absolutely fantastic, that’s what helped me.”

Ms Lindsay found out the news about the closure along with other staff on Monday.

“The liquidators just came in and that was it,” she said. “I was at home and I got a phone call to go in. That was how I found out.”

Ms Lindsay said the abrupt closure came out of the blue and had come as a huge blow to the business’s hundreds of loyal customers.

“I’ve had friend requests on Facebook and I met quite a few people in the town the other day and they are all as sad as we are,” she said. “I think the community is in shock.

“I’ve got customers who came to me for 35 years and watched them have kids, and their kids have kids. I think it was a shock to everyone who just came in and saw the doors closed.

“There’s a boy who comes in. He started with a kids’ pancake, went to a medium one, and before I left he was having a full adult’s pancake. So I’ve watched him grow.

“There were regulars who sat at the same tables and didn’t have to give you their order, we just knew how they took their coffee and what they had to eat.

“It was fantastic, I’ll miss every one of them.”

In response to the Facebook announcement, one customer wrote: “A very sad day for all of the staff. I remember going there as a youngster in the 1980s. It was always a treat, but never stopped going right up until a couple of weeks ago.

“In the early days, you could get hot Ribena and ice-cream drinks, always had lilt in mine along with a portion of spoon size pancakes. Can't imagine the town without this place being open.”

Another regular at the restaurant said: “After going twice a week for the last 40 years can’t believe we won’t be back - where will [we] go now?

“Thanks to all staff for great service over the years and friendships.”

The business was bought by Perth businessman Blain Ross last year. The deal was said to include the chain’s original pancake recipe from 1973, a closely kept secret.

It is understood all four branches of the restaurant have now closed to customers.