AN African café and deli that once fed Nelson Mandela is to close its doors after 11 years in the Capital.

Ndebele was the first place in Edinburgh to stock South African favourites, including dried meat biltong and syrup-coated doughnuts called koeksisters.

Owner Jeni Ayris has failed to find a buyer for the business, which she said would be sorely missed by many customers – both South African ex-pats and Scots.

"There were lots of people interested in buying the place but it didn't amount to a sale," she said.

"I have been forced into this position and I'm very upset. People have been telling me it's an institution.

"All sorts of people come in – black or white, people from Africa who come in just for the smells."

The 42-year-old, who was raised in Cape Town, is moving to Jamaica to run a coffee shop there.

In 1997, city councillors gave Ndebele a stay of execution after its failure to apply for planning permission to operate as a café. On that occasion, 1100 people signed a petition against the closure.

Ms Ayris said: "Back from the beginning, it's not been easy. But we've always had really good support from our customers."

Johan Venter, a South African who has lived in Edinburgh for 12 years, said the café and deli had provided a unique social role in the city.

The 55-year-old business consultant said: "I'll be sad to see it go. It's reminds me of home but also provides a rendezvous place for not just South Africans but also people from Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

"Hopefully there will be something new to fill the gap. The place has made a huge contribution."

Ndebele catered for then-South African president Nelson Mandela when he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in Edinburgh in 1997, sending South African food to his hotel. It has also proved a popular spot for actors such as Alan Cumming and Sheila Hancock during stints at the neighbouring King's Theatre.

Other traders in Tollcross have lamented the closure. Local butcher John Saunderson, a member of the Tollcross Traders' Association, said it was a blow for the area.

"From a trader's point of view, we want all the shops to be open and it's nice to have variety," he said. "The majority of the association's members are food shops and I think it helps if people know there are a lot of good shops in the area. If people can go to a range of food shops in Tollcross and avoid the supermarkets, then that helps all of us."

Doug Bell, owner of the nearby Lupe Pintos Mexican Deli, also said he was sorry to see the cafe go.

"It's just a shame to lose what Tollcross is famous for, which is interesting little food shops. I'll miss the shop – I go there quite a lot.

"But I don't think it's a sign of decline. I've been here for 16 years and this is the most exciting Tollcross has been."

He added: "Boarded-up shops are never a good sign but, in 16 years, Tollcross hasn't looked better."

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