Welcome to The Owl in the Oak

We have some sad news to share.

After much thought and deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to close The Owl in the Oak as a regular café, with our final day of trading taking place on 31st August.

This decision has not been made lightly, nor is it a reflection of a lack of support. Quite the opposite.

The Owl in the Oak was created to serve walkers, cyclists and visitors using the Pier to Pier Way and surrounding paths, whilst sharing a beautiful corner of Somerset that we are privileged to call home. What started as a small venture has grown into something far beyond anything we ever imagined.

Over the last three years, your support has been extraordinary. We have welcomed families, muddy walkers, cyclists, dog owners, friends catching up over coffee and visitors from across the UK and around the world. Many of you have become familiar faces and some have become friends.

Whilst the café was originally intended to serve those already passing through the area, it has increasingly become a destination in its own right. We are incredibly grateful for that support, but it has also brought growing pressure on the farm, the orchard, the surrounding wildlife and the narrow country lane that serves us and our neighbouring farms.

The truth is that we have reached the point where the café is operating at the maximum capacity that the farm and the surrounding area can comfortably sustain. We could grow further, but doing so would require compromises to the historic character of the farm and the tranquillity of this landscape. We feel that some places should be protected, not maximised.

Before we look ahead, we would like to thank our incredible team, past and present. The Owl has never just been a café; it has been a community. Together we have created something built on friendship, support and kindness. We could not be more proud of our team.

So this is not a decision born from failure. The Owl has been more successful than we ever dreamed possible.

But it’s also not a goodbye.

The Owl will continue in a different form through carefully curated events, seasonal gatherings, pop-up cafe and opportunities to celebrate the landscape, history and traditions that make this place unique. The Fleece Fair will continue, alongside other events inspired by the heritage and seasonal rhythms of the farm. We will be sending out a programme of events shortly, so do watch out for it as we’d love to welcome you all here again soon.

Thank you for your support, your kindness, your friendship and for helping us create memories that will stay with us forever.

The kettle is not going away. We are simply returning Mendip View to the pace it was always meant to have.
The Owl Team.