RESIDENTS in Great Harwood have called for the restoration of the former Mercer Baths cafe.
Members of the public were saddened to hear that popular Cafe Rian, a meeting place for 25 years, had closed.
Councillor Lynn Wilson told a 70-strong audience at a Great Harwood Area Council meeting that the woman who ran the cafe had decided to retire and her daughter did not wish to take over.
The building is owned by Hyndburn Council but the pool is managed by Hyndburn Leisure Trust.
However, the cafe was a private venture and no-one else came forward to take over the reins.
Leisure chiefs planned to turn the space into a viewing area for the pool, where parents could sit while their children were swimming. Food and drink were to be provided by vending machines.
But since the business closed its doors, users have contacted their ward councillors, who have put pressure on Hyndburn Leisure Trust to review the situation.
Peter Baron, acting chief executive of Hyndburn Leisure Trust, said: “They have asked us to review our future use of the centre, which we have agreed to do.
“We are going to assess the options, and the benefits and drawbacks of using the area as a cafe.”
The closure of the facility has met with opposition from many locals.
Joan Wilkinson said: “This cafe was full every day with pensioners. It’s a travesty. It’s another loss to the town. The council should get someone else in to run the cafe.”
Husband Ian Wilkinson, who is a member of the Great Harwood Community Action Group, added: “It’s not somewhere I go, but I know the cafe is well attended and well used by a lot of elderly people.
“It’s a shame we have lost such a popular community facility.”
