"This is my most favourite cafe, it can't close!"

"I'm furious, it's the best place in London!"

"Oh this is a tragedy! Now you've built traffic to what was in effect a dead end they put the price up."

Just a few reactions to the imminent closure of Moka East, the comfortable, vibrant, quirky and welcoming cafe on the Greenway in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Having moved to the area 3 years ago, I have been so grateful for the existence of this haven of cake, coffee, personality (in atmosphere and from the staff), excellent food and wonderful events. To have such a creative and down-to-earth space in Stratford is rare and should not be lost. I hear that the rent expected for a new lease is comparable with Shoreditch High Street prices, yet this is a pedestrian path leading around the park, with little passing trade, compared with Shoreditch. If all businesses in Stratford need to be able to pay extortionate rents, we will only ever get the mega-chains like in Westfield and therefore have a corporate and bland environment. Even the new places opening at East Village don't have the same unpretentious and village-like atmosphere of Moka East.

Since i first found it, I can't remember a visit there without seeing and speaking to the wonderful man who runs it, David Illari. He is constantly full of energy and enthusiasm, repeats the long list of cakes without complaint for every customer, chats about local events and is genuinely a part of the local community.

The advantage of large corporations and successful businesses such as Poplar Harca, who own or manage the View Tube building in which Moka East resides, is that they can afford to support smaller businesses by charging higher rents to those who can afford it. I ask that Steve Stride, Chairman of Poplar Harca, considers this option and gains a more realistic insight into the real value of the rent, thereby allowing Moka East to remain open.

This cafe really is the thing that has kept me sane in the bland and commercial world of Stratford, a place to sip coffee while working, meet people and see charity workers and artists meeting clients to discuss exciting projects for our local community.