The council want to shut Sips down, we need your help and ask you to sign the petition in the hope we can stay open.

Sips Matcha is a tiny, independent matcha stand run from a small wooden shed in the front garden of a family home in Little Woodhouse, Leeds — a home our family has lived in for 47 years.

The business was built from scratch by my brother Matt and our family. After being made redundant and at a crossroads in life Matt threw himself into making Sips something special — and it has become exactly that.

Here’s the full picture. Before the shed went up I contacted Leeds City Council for advice and received very little guidance. I contacted them again in May to double check, received an answer, followed their instructions, paid £360 and submitted a retrospective planning application. That application has now been declined.

Their concerns are that the shed is in a front garden, and that the business could cause nuisance — litter, traffic and parking issues. In over a year of trading, none of these have been a problem. Leeds City Council asked neighbours on the street for their opinion. Not one negative response.

It was important to me that we were compliant. We are a registered food business with Leeds City Council, insured and hold our food and hygiene certificates. They have now asked us to stop trading and remove the shed within 28 days.

Please sign and share if you believe that a tiny green shed and a community built around matcha deserves to stay open 🐸💚