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Council moves in to run Art Deco Cafe
STANLEY Park's famous Art Deco Cafe was due to re-open today under council control, after its tenants were evicted from the premises.
Town hall bosses moved in on Thursday to end the six-year tenure of the Lidstone family.
The council claims Angela and David Lidstone, who ran the cafe with their daughter Natalie, owe in excess of 80,000 in unpaid rent.
A separate legal case is also ongoing involving a six figure sum between the council and the family.
Blackpool Council said it had been left with no option other than to turf the Lidstones out, after numerous meetings to try to resolve the situation had proved fruitless.
The council has now taken over the cafe temporarily and it will listen to offers to take it over from other caterers.
Coun Tony Williams, cabinet member with responsibility for Stanley Park said: "Mr and Mrs Lidstone owe the council a large sum of money which has been growing.
"But the reality is the outstanding money is owed to every single person in Blackpool who pays council tax.
"As a council we really have bent over backwards to offer every assistance to the Stanley Park tenants, but reluctantly, despite numerous meetings, we now have no option but to take this action.
"The council is committed to its future and is looking forward to talking with catering operators interested in taking over this wonderful, character-filled and popular caf and providing high quality services for all visitors."
The cafe was closed temporarily yesterday as new management arrangements were put in place.
Council bosses have also offered temporary contracts to existing cafe staff if they are unable to find work with the Lidstones' other businesses.
The Lidstones were today unavailable for comment.
The cafe's outside seating was removed in June, angering customers. The council said at the time the Lidstones' lease to have seating outdoors ran out in 2005.
However, back in June and in a letter to The Gazette, the Lidtsones said the council chose to remove the outside seating as "a deliberate act to seek to sabotage the smooth running of the caf".
They also claimed the rent "had in fact been paid".
The other monies owed related to a "contribution to the development of Stanley Park through the Heritage Lottery fund venture with the Local Authority," the Lidstones added.
The cafe will re-open today with the council in charge and seating restored outside.
However, an alcohol licence will not be in place and customers are invited to take their own alcohol, if required, to drink with their meal.
The Gazette, yesterday found a number of unhappy customers locked out of the cafe.
Derek and Kathleen Rawcliffe, who travelled from Kirkham to visit the cafe yesterday were shocked and angry to find it had been taken over.
Kathleen, 62, said: "We come here twice a week. The owners always put 100 per cent into it."
And Derek, 68, added: "If you want my opinion I think the council stinks.
"The owners have run the cafe well, at the right price, with fabulous food and they cater for everyone.
"If the council take it over it will go downhill."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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