"Sometimes, I don't sleep at night", Victor Calo admits as he clutches on to a cup of coffee. The General Manager of Mercado, on Burton Road, he explains how the once bustling café and deli has seen its footfall plummet - with no sign of when things could pick up.
With its picturesque leafy streets and colourful variety of shops, restaurants and bars, West Didsbury is undoubtedly one of the most desirable places to live in Greater Manchester; boasting quirky breakfast spots, cosy daytime eateries and late-night drinking haunts.
But in just a number of weeks, venues along Burton Road and nearby have slowly started to vanish from the high street. Vegetarian restaurant Greens was forced to close after 33 years of trading, and the owners of a quirky deli hung up their aprons for the last time just days later.
And now, a popular café and bar has seemingly shut its doors. Try MEN Premium now for FREE... just click here to give it a go And for the businesses who've stayed afloat, they are acutely aware of the battle that lies ahead.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk