A popular cafe that opened after a five-year campaign faces an uncertain future after its manager said he can no longer afford the lease.

The cafe at Radnor Gardens was opened after a campaign for a new refreshment facility to be made available at the park, headed up by South Twickenham ward member, Councillor Clare Head.

After offering the highest bid to the council, Said Ait-Abbou, 42, won the lease to run the Twickenham park cafe which opened in a fanfair in May this year.

However, since then he has struggled to meet the weekly payments of £150 and, after claiming his requests for help from the council have been ignored, has decided to call it a day.

Mr Ait-Abbou said: “It wasn’t taking that much money but the council have a duty of care.

“I’m going to hand them the keys back. I’d love to stay there but I’m not making enough.

“It brings life into the park – it’s the only cafe there.

“Mums used to come with their kids after schools and have a chat but it will be gone.”

Mr Ait-Abbou said he was upset over the lack of support the council offered, even refusing to allow him to put an A board on the street to advertise the cafe.

However, Councillor Stephen Knight, Richmond Council’s deputy leader, said: “When Mr Ait-Abbou was successfully selected through competitive tendering by the council to run the cafe in Radnor Gardens, he agreed to pay a weekly rent of £150.

“We are always keen to work with small traders, especially during these difficult times but we also have a duty to ensure that public resources are well managed.”

Coun Head, who is also chairman of the Friends of Radnor Gardens, is determined that Mr Ait-Abbou’s departure will not mean the end for the cafe and is hoping members of the community will come forward to help man the counter.

She is currently in talks with Mr Ait-Abbou to buy the cafe’s equipment and hopes that a service will be provided for park users through the winter, with new leaseholders taking over the cafe in the spring.

She said: “The Friends of Radnor Gardens thought we could try and get him down to a fair price and then we can get a group of residents or mums to open it up on weekends and an hour after school all through the winter.

“People will be able to go down on lovely winter days when a hot chocolate would go down very nicely.”

If you are interested in helping email cllr.chead@richmond.gov.uk.

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