Piginns Cafe in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, has permanently closed, leaving a vacant unit on Carlton Hill. The closure was confirmed on 8 February 2026 according to local community reports after staff at nearby charity shops said they had received donated equipment and stock from the premises.
The business occupied 338–340 Carlton Hill and operated as a café and licensed bar. Local listings and CAMRA/WhatPub describe it as a two-room community licensed café/bar that also incorporated an old-fashioned sweet shop. The closure marks the end of a long-standing presence on the hill: long-time owner Marie Jackson ran the cafe for around 15 years before retiring and handing the business to new owners in late 2023 (Marie Jackson’s retirement was reported in December 2023).
The premises held a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 following an inspection dated 7 October 2024, according to Gedling Borough Council’s record on the Food Standards Agency website. Despite that recent high rating, items from the premises — reported to include kitchen equipment and leftover stock — were donated to local charity shops in Carlton Square in the days before the closure confirmation, community posts indicate.
Piginns was regarded locally as a good neighbour; local reporting and community posts say it made a sizeable donation in 2023 to nearby bakery Just Delicious after that shop suffered a theft. Residents have expressed concern that another empty storefront will reduce footfall on Carlton Hill, which has seen the closure or consolidation of several banks and major shops such as Wilko in recent years.
The cafe had been a regular meeting place for families and older residents who valued its traditional atmosphere.
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