Winchester café having items sold off as part of bankruptcy clearance

As previously reported, Autumn House, in The Square, Winchester, closed its doors on Monday, August 21.

The furniture and catering equipment from the café and wine bar is being sold off on a first-come, first-served basis, with items up for grabs including solid wood tables, a wine fridge, chairs, a sink, a coffee machine and sofas.

All of the furniture and fittings from Autumn House is being sold off (Image: Newsquest)The sale is being handled by Felix Asset Disposal and has attracted many customers.

READ MORE: Businessman behind closed café and wine bar admits spreading himself too thin

Rob Nichols, a nurse from central Winchester, had never visited the café before but thought he’d have a look at the furniture up for grabs after seeing the sale shared on Facebook.

Rob, 47, said: “I’m just having a look around. I always walked past here and thought I must pop in. I remember it before when it was Dinghams.

“It’s always sad to see a shop close. It would be a great space for another eatery or bar.”

Jeremy Culverhouse was also on the lookout for some bargains for his nearby cottage. Jeremy, 60, said: “All the stuff is quite big, and I live in a small cottage but I am quite tempted by the martini glasses.

“I had been here before. I think it’s sad when any local business goes under but it’s certainly a sign of the times that it’s very difficult for businesses to keep going. Hospitality needs local support.

“There’s so much competition but I personally like to support independent businesses, so I’d prefer to see another independent take over if possible.”

SEE ALSO: City council offers support to cafe and wine bar following sudden closure

Autumn House was opened by the owners of The Pump House, in Garnier Road, St Cross, Alex Donnan and Laura Turner, in May last year.

Items for sale include tables, chairs, a coffee machine and a wine fridge (Image: Newsquest)The business replaced the long-standing Dinghams Cookshop, which closed at the beginning of last year when it could no longer afford to pay its rent to the council.

As previously reported, the managing director of Autumn House, Alexander Donnan, said that the business was closed due to him ‘spreading himself too thin’.

In a post on the social media site LinkedIn, he said: “I can’t steer away from the fact that I have always enjoyed the process of creating new businesses and the pull of that gets me every time; often to the detriment of my other businesses.

“Often I reflect back and consider what could have been if I stuck with just one of these businesses that I created. Spreading myself too thin because of the excitement of owning and creating something new has essentially bitten me on the bum.”