The charity said the café was no longer commercially viable. A note announcing the move, from Holly Brett, the National Trust general manager of York area properties, was tacked to the door. No staff have been made redundant and a redeployment programme is underway.
A National Trust spokesperson said that the café had not fulfilled its commercial role to help underpin the organisation’s conservation work at its historic houses, gardens, coast and countryside.
“In the last three years the café has undergone refurbishment and investment to try and improve its success; however this has been to no avail,” the spokeswoman said.
“The decision to close comes after a period of consultation with staff to seek alternative options, but with none forthcoming, sadly we have taken the decision to close.
“We have been very grateful to our customers and York businesses for their support over the years. Our catering focus in the city will now concentrate fully on the Treasurer’s House tearoom, just 200 yards from the York café, which reopens for a new season on February 16.”
All the workers affected – two full-time and eight seasonal staff – are still working for the National Trust, she said. “We will be working with them over the next few weeks as part of our redemployment programme to help them seek alternative employment within the National Trust.
“They will be eligible for other roles in the National Trust and at this time of year we are actively seeking roles to be recruited in catering at our sites including both Treasurer’s House and Beningbrough Hall in York.
“Therefore we are hopeful, where possible, there will be opportunities with in the National Trust for them to continue in employment with us.”