The Irish Times

Bewley's landmark Dublin cafes will cease trading this evening, even as a campaign to save them continues. Supporters will mount a vigil outside the Grafton Street premises when it closes at 6 p.m., after 77 years in business. The older Westmoreland Street branch will close at the same time, leaving the city centre without a Bewley's cafe for the first time since 1884. Some of the 234 staff have already left since the company announced the closures on October 29th, citing €4 million losses. Many others are expected to be redeployed to other jobs in Campbell Catering, the company that bought the cafes - then also in severe financial difficulty - in 1986. The last day will be marked in the Grafton Street branch by songs and poetry readings from the Bewley's Theatre Company.