Watch: Why York’s Larder Club is closing its city centre café
A deli and café in the city centre of York has announced it will close at the end of the year.
The Larder Club on Blake Street is shutting, and one of the people behind it has told YorkMix Radio operating in York is not easy and they can’t afford to continue.
It is a social enterprise supporting the rehabilitation of women offenders. Working closely alongside HMP Askham Grange, they fund work placements and offer employment opportunities.
They also offer barista skills training, equipping them with the art of creating great specialty coffee, a skill that can help them build a new future.
In an announcement on their Facebook page they said: “It’s with mixed emotions we share news that when we close on 31st December we won’t be re-opening at 3 Blake Street.
“It is heartbreaking to have to take the decision to cease trading here at our flagship location.
“We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved since opening.
“We’ve provided employment to five women from HMP Askham Grange, provided training to more individuals both in the deli and inside the prison including mock interviews, customer service skills and barista skills training.
“We’ve received fantastic reviews from you all putting us up there in the rankings for top lunch spots in York and we’ve met and worked alongside amazing people who have changed our lives.”
Back in November, John Moss told YorkMix he was frustrated with City of York Council and Make it York who he said failed to consult on the positioning of the barriers.
He complained he would be unable to put out any seating on the street during the Christmas period and would lose trade as a result.
He told us today:
“It’s been a really difficult couple years, we’ve had some fantastic supporters, but we’ve also had a lot of difficulties that we’ve run into like rent increases coming in January, which is one thing but then operating in itself has been really, really difficult.
“There are a lot of restrictions in place with the council changing a lot of things going forward in the New Year and there’s not really any support whatsoever.
“Letters from us seem to go missing at the council too.
“We’d really like to stay within York, maybe look at somewhere slightly smaller.
“We’ve helped a lot of people here and if anybody knows of any premises that might be suitable for us, it will be really helpful to point us in the right direction.”