Reprieve given to Hilton's lifeline community cafe
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A LIFELINE family-friendly café in an Inverness neighbourhood has won a reprieve after being faced with closure at Christmas.
The Archie Café at Hilton Community Centre reopened its doors on Monday after Drumnadrochit-based catering company Cobbs decided to underwrite any costs while talks continue in a bid to secure its longer-term future.
The pioneering venue with its soft play area and hub for healthcare and local information opened just over five years ago in a joint venture involving Cobbs, the community centre and children’s hospital charity the Archie Foundation.
The foundation, which supports sick youngsters at the Highland Children’s Unit in Raigmore Hospital, announced it was regrettably pulling out at Christmas as the café was running at a loss and was no longer sustainable.
With dismayed customers including a group of mums calling for it to be saved, Cobbs has now agreed to keep it going until at least February, while it is in talks with another charity about taking it over.
Director Fraser Campbell is hopeful a solution will be found.
“It is such a good facility for that area that we felt obliged to try and keep it going,” he said. “We want to keep it going because the staff like working there and they are good people and also we feel the community deserves a nice café.”
Mr Campbell said after the news of its threatened closure had been announced the venue had been busier than ever as people realised they might lose it.
The Archie Foundation has left all kitchen equipment and soft play fittings in the café, to help support whoever takes over.
