Gutted customers have described the decision to close a garden centre café as a scandal, with a number staff having been told they are set to lose their jobs. The Garden Kitchen Café operates out of Trevena Cross Nurseries in Breage near Helston and is much-loved by locals who enjoy a bite to eat and a mooch around the centre.
However, out of the blue on Monday evening (November 6) a letter to staff was published on social media that said the current Garden Kitchen Café will be closing in January. Owner Derek Fox claimed to have been told by Trevena Cross that it wishes to go in a new direction and that his eatery’s food and menu is poor. It is believed the café employs 27 people.
The letter to staff reads: “Dear team member.
“It is with great regret that I inform you The Garden Kitchen Café will be closing as of January 2024. As the tenant I have been given three months’ notice that my agreement will not be renewed (this is the minimum they have to give). I have not been given any specific reason other than they believe as a café we bring no customers into the garden centre and the quality of food and menu is poor.
“They want to go in a new direction that doesn’t involve us. They couldn’t give me any examples or specific issues when I questioned them.”
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Mr Fox goes on to say that he wants to let staff know at the earliest opportunity so they have time to seek employment elsewhere. He stated that he will honour staff hours in November and December but cannot do so in January as the café will be running stock down.
Mr Fox added: “To say I am upset after 12 years of building the business up from nothing is an understatement, especially the way the garden centre has handled it.”
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News of the closure was greeted with shock and anger when the letter to staff was shared on social media. Tim Johnson, local postman, described the decision as “a scandal”, adding that Breage has only recently lost its pub, the Queens Arms, which was one of four locals closed by West Cornwall Inns last month.
Posting on Facebook, Gemma Danielle Smith wrote: “Oh no this is really sad to hear! It’s a lovely café, food and (cakes especially) excellent, staff polite, friendly and attentive and there’s not been a time when I’ve been that the café has been quiet – always busy with a constant flow of people going in! What a shame.”
Sarah Lilley said: “It’s such a lovely café, always up there for coffee and cake .. and such friendly staff , will be a huge loss.”
Lydia Anne added: “We have been a few times recently purely for the The Garden Kitchen Cafe and have a nosey around the garden centre. We had some really lush food in that café and it’s always been busy and a lovely atmosphere, it will be such a shame to see it go.”
A statement from Trevena Cross Nurseries said: “As we’re sure you are now aware, The Garden Kitchen Café will be closing at the end of January. We are now able to advise that in early March, after some extensive refurbishment, the café will be reopening with a new name, under Trevena Cross management.
“The café/restaurant will remain at the heart of the garden centre with the priority of delivering customers a dining experience that exceeds their expectations. The focus will be on serving excellent quality food, providing exceptional levels of customer service and creating the perfect ambience to enjoy dining in.
“We appreciate that this news may come as a surprise to some, but we can assure all customers of the garden centre and the Garden Kitchen Café that it is done with very best intentions, and to futureproof a dining experience at Trevena Cross that fits with the aspirations of the business. It is a decision that has not been taken lightly.
“We thank you for your patience and understanding during the upcoming period of transition, and hope that you will remain open-minded to the changes afoot.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
