The owner of a Great Harwood cafe and bistro says her business ‘is barely surviving’ after opening up about the harsh reality of being self-employed in the current climate.

Samantha Balmbra, owner of Akela Street Food in Queen Street, shared a candid post about the “harsh reality people don’t see running your own business”.

If footfall does not improve she does not see the business being open next year. She has called upon the council to offer more support to all small businesses.

In the post, Samantha said: “The tears. The anxiety. The tiredness. I’m going to be brutally honest we are just surviving not thriving at the moment.

Samantha Balmbra, owner of Akela Street Food Samantha Balmbra, owner of Akela Street Food (Image: Samantha Balmbra) “In the past three weeks we have gone from busy to having five customers all day. It’s just not sustainable. If things don’t improve significantly I can’t see us signing another lease in Great Harwood come February.”

Samantha also posted a picture of herself in the kitchen, after crying. Samantha said the tears came last Friday (September 20) after only welcoming three customers all day.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph she said: “On Friday, I had three people through the door and it broke my heart. I was washing up after the three people left and I got upset.

"I really sobbed because this has always been a positive, happy and nice vibe in the shop. It felt eerie that day and it is the first time I have felt like that in business.

“I am grateful towards those three but it’s not enough to keep a business going when you have crippling utility bills and rent to pay. The price of food is going up too.

 “I just thought if this is a sign of how things are going to be I cannot afford to live like this and I can’t carry on.

“My friend told me not to make the post but I thought how else are people to know that we are only just surviving and we aren’t always fully booked?

“The tough reality is if people don’t use us I cannot afford to stay open. I don’t have any money or investors behind me. I am quite literally a one-man band.”

Samantha said she received messages from customers saying they had no idea about the struggles and avoided coming as they assumed the site was fully booked, as it had been in previous months.

She said: “I felt like I was opening myself up to negativity by posting to Facebook. I thought if I post how it really is, it might make people see the reality.

"I have had people message me thinking we were fully booked so didn’t bother trying to book.

“It’s really tough and I haven’t come here for a pity party but if I don’t say it, how are you all supposed to know?

"What I’m saying is simple but harsh - use us or lose us."

Samantha, who opened the business last year, said others in Great Harwood have noticed reduced custom and footfall. She has attributed this to the cost of living crisis and lack of support from the council

She said: “It’s a hard town to try and gauge business-wise. The cost of living crisis isn’t helping either.

“It would be great if there were a business committee, involving all businesses. I feel like we have been left out of food festivals [and other events].

“Councillor Heather Anderson has been great in supporting us but it would be nice if the council did more to support small businesses.”

Samantha said she is working on diversifying the business she is passionate about and is in the process of renovating a trailer so she can bring street food to events.

“We sell food I genuinely enjoy and like. It’s a really nice place to come and eat if you just want nibbles. It’s ideal for girls' night or even family meals” she said.

“It’s a business I have built from scratch and I am proud of it. I know it can be a success.

 “We’ve just bought a trailer, to serve food at events and weddings, to diversify the business as I don’t want to move the business to another town. This could help the shortfall if it does continue.”

Hyndburn Council has been approached for comment.