Cross Party Support For Threatened Walpole Park Cafe

Labour's Rupa Huq and Tory Zac Goldsmith and Lib Dem Vince Cable join campaign

Richmond Conservative MP, Zac Goldsmith and Labour's Rupa Huq MP, and Liberal Democrat Vince Cable have joined thousands of others supporting the owners of Walpole Park's only cafe who have lost their lease to operate.

Alan Dillon and his partner Sarah Lennon have been providing a service in the park for nearly ten years, first as Spencer's which has been described as an ' Ealing institution' and now in The Rickyard.

However, Pitzhanger Manor Gallery Trust ( PMGT) who have taken over the cafe rejected their tender to continue and the pair have been told they must cease operating in January 2018 .

Mr Dillon  said: '' We are beyond  devastated. I have built this business from nothing & with sheer hard work & am now expected to just hand this over to a new tenant, losing not just my livelihood,but those that work at the cafe.''

He set up a petition to save the cafe and more than 3,800 have now signed.

The MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, Zac Goldsmith has written to Pitzhanger Manor Trustees on behalf of his constituents:

"It is shocking that no one from either Ealing Council or PMGT thought to speak to Mr Dillon directly before pulling the plug on his business.

"Mr Dillon has invested everything into making his business a success and now with very little notice he and his staff will be without a job and a business in January."

Ealing Cenral and Acton MP, Rupa Huq, has also raised concerns about Mr Dillon's loss of business as well as the loss to the community of this 'cherished and regular destination'.

She has also written to the trustees : '' I would therefore urge you to reconsider your decision and to allow Mr Dillon to continue running his established cafe which is so dearly cherished by the local community. We all have a social responsibility to encourage and support small independent businesses such as these. To eradicate the hard work and dedication of Mr Dillon to his business for over 9 years, wit no compensation or support, would be a great injustice to him and my constituents.'

In a statement PMGT have previously said:

''We understand Alan Dillon’s disappointment that he was not successful in this competitive tender process, but the Trust followed carefully a publicised tender process.
The Trust must do what it believes to be in the best interests of the wider Ealing community and of the success of the Manor & Gallery when they reopen for the benefit of the whole community.''

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: ““The council made Mr Dillon aware of plans to transfer management of the Rickyard to the Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust three years ago. At this time he was also made aware that his current lease to operate the kiosk would expire on 31 January 2018. The Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust is managing the  tender process and will make the decision on which operator manages the kiosk.”

We have asked PMGT if they will be reviewing their decision and await reply.

13th December 2017 ( updated 14th)