Jobs go as café closes down

VENDING machines have replaced a café at a Wisbech leisure centre – and four part time workers have lost their jobs. Fenland District Council decided to close Champs café at the Hudson Leisure Centre to save £20,000 a year. Now, in a report published this

VENDING machines have replaced a café at a Wisbech leisure centre - and four part time workers have lost their jobs.

Fenland District Council decided to close Champs café at the Hudson Leisure Centre to save £20,000 a year.

Now, in a report published this week by the council's staff committee, details have emerged for the first time of the cafe's losses.

The council says closing the cafe will create additional efficiency savings.

Although 10 staff were affected by the closure, the report notes that "despite the best endeavours of the council, it has not been possible to agree deployment opportunities with four employees".

A council spokesman confirmed the "the loss-making café at the Hudson Leisure Centre was closed in August in a bid to save £20,000 and all 10 staff were offered alternative jobs within the council".

He continued: "The Hudson continues to provide vending machines with drinks and snacks, which includes a range of healthy options."

The Champs café has operated at the centre for 30 years, but had been making a financial loss and continued to do so despite trying different styles in the café, different menus and responding to customer comments and suggestions.

News of the proposed closure was first revealed in March when the staff committee agreed to delete the roles of catering assistant and provide "alternative and more profitable vending machines for customers".

The move saw 10 part-time staff contracted to work in the café being made potentially redundant, but six of the staff were re-deployed as many of them were multi-skilled.