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‘We have tried everything’ – Community café that was ‘a lifeline for many’ to close

The café in Acomb. Photographs: Chill in the Community on Facebook

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‘This is terrible news.’

Just one response of many from people hearing that Chill In The Community CIC will close at the end of this month.

Set up in 2016 on Front Street, Acomb, the community hub features a café and social space, and hosted everything from art workshops to family play schemes.

Thanks to donations from local people and allotment owners, the café was “a lifeline for so many” who were struggling to feed their families.

Chill In The Community also sent out weekly food boxes to local families. But it will close on 28 September due of a lack of support.

‘Much sadness’

Some of the food donations that kept the café going
Jo Millner, who runs the café alongside a team of volunteers, said they had done all they could to keep open the doors.

  • It is with much sadness that we need to announce Chill in the Community CIC will be closing its doors at the end of the month.

    We have tried everything possible to keep Chill in the Community CIC open and available to all who have needed us but unfortunately we have not been able to secure enough support.

    The need unfortunately outweighs the resources we have, plus external financial pressures have left us no option but to close the doors.

She added: “Thank you to the local people & allotments that have brought us food donations it has been a lifeline for so many families. We hope that you will continue to support local projects in the future.”

Jo told the York Press that they had tried to get business rate relief for a year but to no avail.

She told the paper: “After funding the charity for a year myself, with help from my colleague Mary, we simply cannot keep it going and also look after our families.”

‘Absolutely gutted’

Many people were equally gutted. Two Rivers Radio station manager Jez Russell said: “This is terrible news.

“Chill was a fantastic community asset and will be sorely missed by the many people that benefited from its being there.”

Another regular, Olivia Piggott, commented: “Absolutely gutted to hear this, loved coming to your cafe with my little ones and friends.”

The Chill team said they were working with Spark:York to carry on their food poverty work.