Popular Swindon cafe announces sudden closure

Popular Swindon cafe announces sudden closure

A popular charity garden centre and café has suddenly announced its closure.

The Olive Tree Café, located in the Manor Garden Centre on the Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, has been providing a safe workplace for people with mental health issues for many years.

But an unexpected failure of the stadium’s drains and pumps forced the stadium to close suddenly, but manager Phyllida Richards hopes this will be temporary.

The 60-year-old man, who has worked at the cafe since the charity The Recovery Tree opened, admitted that it is not yet certain if and when the cafe will reopen.

“The drains and pumps have burned out after 25 years of intensive use by us and the café before us.

“The tricky thing is that it’s not our responsibility to repair, it’s our landlords’ responsibility.”

Phyllida explained that she was in discussions with the landlords and hoped that a temporary solution would be found soon, but that she would not know more for a few days.

“Right now we have this overwhelming feeling that the 100+ volunteers and staff who are part of the Olive Tree, a place where they go to feel safe, that is part of their routine and that is part of their sense of self, don’t have that.

“And then there is our customer base, which is enormous.

“So we do everything we can to keep the café’s heartbeat going.”

The cafe will close at the end of the day on Friday, July 19, and no reopening date has yet been set.

But Phyllida has confirmed that the location will still be used as a safe space for those who trusted it

“We’ve told our volunteers and staff that we’re going to have some open houses where people can still come in, support each other and make plans for the future until something is sorted out.”

The public is shocked that the cafe is going to close.

Someone wrote: “No, I can’t believe you’re having to close. One of the few things to be proud of in Swindon. I hope you can open again soon.”

Another added: “We were there today for coffee and cake to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We can’t express how sad we were when we heard about the closure. Let’s sincerely hope you can reopen soon.”