The vicar of the University church, the Rev Will Lamb, has won his fight to close our favourite Oxford cafe.
The Oxford Mail has reported that the cafe will close at the end of November because founder, Will Pouget, and the operating company do not have the financial resources to continue to defend the eviction proceedings brought against them by the church council led by the vicar.
The cafe had launched a legal costs appeal on the CrowdJustice website to raise £100,000 towards their legal costs which had already reached £200,000. But the campaign has only raised £17,212 from 380 supporters which was not enough for the cafe to continue its fight.
A High Court hearing was due to start in London on October 28th but this will not now take place. Will Pouget told the Oxford Mail that he was sad to confirm that the cafe was closing.
He said:” It has become an Oxford institution which I have nurtured for over 22 years since its foundation. I am grateful to all our cafe and events customers who have supported us for so long.”
Will Pouget added: “We have taken the decision to reach an agreed settlement with the church which will allow for the orderly closure of the cafe before the end of the year and to plan to open in a new location.”
The independently wealthy Rev Lamb has been the vicar of the University church since 2017. He is also a director and shareholder of his family business, William Lamb (Holdings) Ltd, which is one of the country’s biggest shoe importers. A bachelor, he lives in a £4.5 million house owned by the diocese in one of north Oxford’s most exclusive streets.
Previously, the vicar announced plans to spend £750,000 on improvements to the premises, including toilets in the Radcliffe Square garden, and for the church to run the cafe themselves as a social enterprise.These plans are now expected to go ahead.
The Oxford Mail reported that a spokesman for the church said that a statement about the closure was being prepared.
We are also very sad to learn of the cafe’s closure and we are sure that you will all have similar feelings. However we will keep you informed of the cafe’s plans for re-opening in a new location and we are sure that you will all continue to support our favourite cafe.
team@savethevaults.com