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Rochester Cathedral Tea Rooms to close tomorrow

13:50, 11 May 2017

Rochester Cathedral tea rooms will close tomorrow, it has been confirmed.

Simon Lace, chapter clerk executive director, said the tea rooms will be shutting as it is not making any money and is running at a loss.

The cafe is run by the Cathedral Enterprise Company and Mr Lace said it has been running at a loss for the last two to three years.

Rochester Cathedral's tea room and gardens. Pic: Trip Advisor
Rochester Cathedral's tea room and gardens. Pic: Trip Advisor

“We’ve been trying to save it,” he said. “We have put a lot of thought into this decision but the cafe is not making money. It’s costing us money.

“I’ve seen that people think the tea rooms are always full, they aren’t. I’ve been there a number of times and they are empty.”

The tea rooms employs three members of staff but one will continue to be employed in another role within the cathedral.

Mr Lace said bosses were now looking at the possibility of a private company operating the cafe.

He said: “We want to put something back but we cannot put something back that loses money. We are not a wealthy cathedral.”

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