A Community Appeal to the University of Cambridge in Support of Douce Ltd.

Context

In October 2025 residents became aware of the hotel’s plan to terminate at short notice the lease held by Douce Heights on the rooftop bar area. We understand that this is as a consequence of a group-level decision by the company which owns the hotel - a decision over which the University of Cambridge has no influence. The team at Douce have made significant investments in building a social life in Eddington and they deserve better.

The Open Letter

We the undersigned, resident in Eddington, believe that the University of Cambridge owes a debt of gratitude to the individuals behind Douce Ltd. Their enterprising spirit has provided sustained cover, particularly during a time when the retail units in Eddington Square were largely vacant. Without the resourcefulness of the Douce team, the provision of amenities and third spaces in Eddington would have been quite poor for many months and the nascent community would have suffered for it.

We furthermore find the minimal-notice eviction of Douce Heights Ltd. by The Edyn Group (owners of the local Turing Locke/Hyatt Centric hotel block) to be directly damaging to the local ecosystem. Given the Douce team’s investment and effort in bringing an unused space into regular public use - and whatever the space’s contractual status - it is unfair that a local enterprise be unceremoniously dumped by the changing of an international corporate’s agenda.

We ask that the University does everything in its power to mitigate the wasted potential here. That it prioritises providing an opportunity for this team to continue its enterprising service to the local community. That it recognises the long-term ability of ambitious hairdressers in a caravan to inject some life and culture into a place chronically lacking in facilities to incubate it.