17 things you had to say about closure of loss-making cemetery cafe

We reported yesterday how Hartlepool Borough Council has agreed to shut the Inspirations Coffee House in Stranton Cemetery by the end of this month after losing thousands of pounds a year since it opened almost four years ago.

The council says it will look to redeploy staff affected of one full time employee and three part-time workers.

A report on future options for the site is due to come back before councillors later.

Here are 17 things people said about the issue on the Mail’s Facebook page.

James Barker: “If we needed any more evidence of why there should be a public enquiry into Hartlepool Borough Councils spending habits..... this is it.”

Stevie Gibbon: “like everything else ..wasting money when it should be spent on other things ...like new road surfaces the roads are terrible in Hartlepool.”

Angela Pounder: “The prices were to high... taking advantage of its location.”

David Wheelhouse: “Three rules when opening a cafe. Location, Location, Location. Sadly they got it wrong.”

Richard Ward: “Blaming an elected mayor we haven’t had for four years. Four years of losses ... Sounds about typical of the guys in charge.”

Val Brookbanks: “Another waste of our money!”

Greg Hildreth: “Shame to see this venture fail as it was a lovely place with great staff and food.”

Daniel Sherry: “Time heads rolled.”

Shel Winspear said: “Still a lot of evident bitterness from the council leader towards Stuart Drummond and his cabinet. Can the council actually stop bickering, put their differences to the side and actually work together for the benefit of Hartlepool please?”

Mel Wilson: “It’s a shame because it could be a really good cafe but the prices are very high.”

Sandra Bage: “Here we go again more money wasted that’s HBC for you.”

Kathleen Foster: “More money down the drain.”

Susan Dobson: “I had no idea it was there or I would have used it I come from North Yorkshire to the cemetery.”

Becky Wright: “Such a shame, a lovely cafe and great food and staff, shame they weren’t able to manage it how they wanted, may have stood a chance then.”

Ken Shepherd: “This is awful. We really enjoyed going there and it was always full.”

Jody Kelsey: “What a shame. I’ve been there a few times and the staff couldn’t do enough x”

Freddie Corbett: “This Cafe has cost the ratepayers £360k, even thought it was losing £400 pounds a week. Only in Hartlepool & only under the dysfunctional LabTor mob.”