Kettering Cransley Hospice 'beloved' coffee shop to close

A much-loved fundraising Kettering coffee shop has become the latest business to close, citing the Covid pandemic and rising food costs.

Cransley Hospice Trust's Coffee Shop in Horsemarket Kettering will not reopen after the charity reassessed its ability to make money.

Reliant on voluntary donations, Cransley Hospice has to raise more than £1.4m each year to provide inpatient and community based services.

The hospice provides care to patients where they choose to be - in the patient's own home, outpatients, or within the hospice inpatient unit.

Rachel Herrick, director of income generation and communications, said: “We are very sorry to be saying goodbye to our coffee shop, which as well as providing refreshment to the Kettering community, has also provided a place of comfort and friendship for many throughout the years.

“We would like to take this opportunity to recognise the loyalty and passion that the coffee shop staff and team of volunteers have shown during this very difficult time."

The coffee shop, next to the Cransley Hospice Charity Shop, opened in April 2012 with volunteers offering refreshments.

A spokesman said: "It is with great regret that we announce the closure of our beloved coffee shop.

"After more than 10 years serving our local community, it was not a decision that we took lightly as we recognise how important the coffee shop was to our staff and supporters.

"However, as a charity we had to assess our ability to raise essential income for hospice care from the coffee shop, which has become increasingly difficult in recent years with

rising food costs and amplified even more so with the effects of the pandemic.

Ms Herrick added: "There are plans to repurpose the coffee shop to generate significant income for the hospice and to give us greater security for the future.

"We will be sharing our plans and ambitions with our supporters and the local community in the coming months”.