Iconic tea room founded by Suffragette blasts 'impossible' costs and 'relentless tax rises' as it is forced to close after 114 years

A famous tearoom where the Princess of Wales was a regular in her schooldays has closed its doors after 114 years claiming it is 'simply impossible' for any High Street business to succeed due to 'relentless tax rises'.The Polly Tearooms in affluent Marlborough in Wiltshire - which has frequently been voted one of the best places to live in the UK - has been a much loved fixture of its historic High Street since 1912.Its devastated owner David Clarke MBE said today that he struggled with mounting economic pressures and could no longer make ends meet when the Budget failed to throw businesses like his a lifeline.When Kate Middleton was at school in the late 1990s at nearby Marlborough College, she was said to visit the then bustling tearoom every week with her friends for her favourite blueberry muffins.But the future queen was not the only famous face to frequent the quaint eatery, whose top floors burnt down in a fire in the 1960s.Set up by suffragette Janet McCloud and her partner Jean Leith Hay, it has been a favourite of celebrities including Hollywood legend Cary Grant, who regularly used to have breakfast there in his heyday, Robbie Williams, when he lived nearby, actor Rupert Everett and even the Bee Gees.It was also a favourite of the late Sir Patrick Stewart, who died last month.All of them have been among the hordes of customers - including generations of pupils from Marlborough College and busloads of tourists - who have often queued up patiently to sample the renowned cream teas, cakes and knickerbocker glories. The Polly Tearooms in affluent Marlborough in Wiltshire - which has frequently been voted one of the best places to live in the UK - has been a much loved fixture of its historic High Street A sign posted outside the tea room on Monday announcing its closure after 114 yearsFormer poet laureate John Betjeman, who also attended Marlborough College, even once filmed from its olde-world interior - where waiting staff dressed up in formal lace dresses, hats and frilly aprons to recreate its past.But customers were dismayed to find it had shut its doors for the final time without warning on Monday with a sign pinned to the door announcing the 'closure of The Polly Tearooms after 114 years'.It blamed 'relentless tax rises and minimum wage increases all at a time when there is an ongoing cost of living crisis affecting our customers' ability to eat out'.And it warned that 'it is simply impossible to run a High Street business in these circumstances' before thanking its staff and customers.Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Mr Clarke said he had been funding the business from his own savings hoping for help in the Budget, but 'the result was the same as every budget this Government has brought in, quite the opposite'.'There was no help at all for us just increases in our costs - yet another minimum wage increase and "help" for small businesses on business rates which only applies to much smaller businesses than ours,' he said.'John Healey spoke about "hope" for the future. He said the word so many times, I lost count. He sounded like Mr Micawber from David Copperfield, hoping something will turn up.'Labour are spending far too much money on the wrong things and then taxing the very people who would be able to create growth to the level that they have nothing left to achieve any of it. Pete Doherty and his then girlfriend Irina Lazareanu at the Polly Tearooms set up by suffragette Janet McCloud and her partner Jean Leith Hay Inside the deserted Polly Tea Rooms. Its devastated owner David Clarke MBE said today that he struggled on despite mounting economic pressures but could no longer make ends meet'So, along with literally hundreds of other businesses, I have no option but to give up trying to make it work.'Local East Wiltshire Reform MP Danny Kruger, who won his seat before defecting from the Tories, said he was 'appalled' by the news.'An institution in Marlborough which survived two world wars broken by Labour's cost of living crisis and its war on employers,' he said, calling for 'urgent cuts to VAT on hospitality, cuts to employer NICs' and the scrapping of the Employment Rights Act which he dubbed 'the anti-employment act'.Shocked locals said they were saddened to hear of the loss 'of a real Marlborough treasure and icon'.Renowned local craftsman Mark 'Binzy' Nash, whose family have operated in the town for four generations, said he was 'surprised to see how many places are empty' in Marlborough High Street 'especially when Marlborough is considered affluent and fairly well off'.'I wonder what will be left in another 18 months with rents, rates, energy costs and the living wage rise. It's a recipe for extremely hard trading times,' he said on the local Marlborough Noticeboard which was flooded with comments with concerned locals.While another resident Chris Brennan said: 'So sad to hear but not surprised at all. Running a business now is impossible.'The Polly was founded in one of the most historic Georgian buildings in Marlborough High Street - reputedly the widest High Street in England - in what was once a public house.