Oxford cafe is given notice to quit by church after 20 years

Earlier this month Will Pouget, director of the cafe in Radcliffe Square, told how he was planning a series of celebrations to mark two decades of serving thousands of customers from all over the world.

But those celebrations have now been overshadowed by a notice to quit from the Parochial Church Council of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin.

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The university church PCC says it is planning a new social enterprise at the Old Congregation House, where the cafe is based, repairs to stonework, replanting of the gardens and a major redevelopment of the cafe facilities.

It adds the plans have been in development for almost two years, and include revamping cramped toilet facilities, improving accessibility at the tower door, and refitting electrical appliances.

The notice to quit is addressed to both Mr Pouget and Fresh Connection, the company which has operated the Vaults & Garden cafe for the past 17 years.

Mr Pouget said he was being given three months' notice to close down.

He added that Fresh Connection has more than £400,000 invested in the business, which would be lost, and would face £100,000 of redundancy liabilities if 70 staff were dismissed at such short notice.

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Graham Rushworth, a director of Fresh Connection, said any possession proceedings would be vigorously contested, with counter claims for damages.

He said the company was paying the church rent of about £100,000 a year, although the PCC describes this as a 'licence fee' not rent.

Mr Pouget added: "We have taken legal advice and we are challenging this notice to quit."

The PCC said the current cafe would close in the next few months and it hoped that a new cafe, operated as a social enterprise, will open in the spring of 2025.

The PCC said the new cafe would further improve the quality of welcome to University Church, with pricing set at an affordable level for students and local residents, and would create new employment opportunities for under-represented people in Oxford.

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Plans for redevelopment include replanting the gardens to improve light and sightlines, with the aim of improving visitors' sense of welcome.

Memorial and stonework repairs will also be carried out.

The cafe facilities and Old Library above are inside the Old Congregation House.

The building was constructed within the churchyard in 1320 and it is the oldest purpose-built university building in Northern Europe.

It is leased to Mr Pouget and Fresh Connection by the PCC - not by the university, according to the Oxford Diocese.

It is understood that the plans have been reviewed by the Diocesan Advisory Committee, which reviews planning applications for church buildings, and by the Church Buildings Council.

The PCC said it has also sought advice from city council planners and heritage organisations and user groups.

A spokesperson for the PCC said: "A notice to quit was issued in May 2023 by the PCC’s lawyers. This followed a period of extended negotiations in which the PCC offered Mr Pouget an option to continue."

Mr Pouget has planned a series of events in the coming months to celebrate the 20th anniversary.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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