A COFFEE chain that announced its closure last month has appointed a liquidator, with company liabilities last month standing at around £100,000 according to Companies House documents.

Bruce and Luke's Limited, which has been creating coffee shops across North Cumbria for the past 10 years, announced the closure due to 'no longer being sustainable' in March. 

The business famous for doughnuts, which has amassed over 10,000 Instagram followers, saw closure of its sites in Gretna and Keswick.

Foxes Cafe Lounge, on Carlisle's Abbey Street, which was in partnership with the chain, will continue to operate independently. 

According to the Statement of Affairs, published by Companies House, the estimated total assets available for preferential creditors stand at £31,688.72. 

The list of outstanding creditors are owed a total of £110,000 according to the documents, including £25,289 for JLL estate agents, £37,500 to Barclays and £2,455.46 for Bako North West - a bakery supplier.

Speaking with the News & Star, owner Luke Jackson said the decision to appoint a liquidator was a 'proactive decision'. 

"We weren't in a position to stay sustainable, so before things got worse and before we gathered worse debt, we made the decision quite proactively and early to not cause damage as much as possible. 

"I appreciate with the situation people do get let down and hurt but it was a conscious decision and we did our best to ensure we were letting down as few people as possible. 

"We've been upfront with everyone.

"At the end of the day, the business wasn't going to flourish, this was just a deceptively negative outcome.

"It's sad and with anything you try your best not to let anyone down and that's the way it played out. 

"We can't control perspectives, all we've done is try to be honourable and upfront with people who have been impacted and go from there," he said.