David Sewell - The"future of the cafe" is very unclear..

Just to let you all know that the "future of the cafe" is very unclear. The Council with the Brighton Festival have confirmed at a recent high level meeting that we are not in "their vision" for the gardens if they are successful in getting Heritage Lottery Funding over the next year or so. They wont tell us what their plans are, although it is fairly clear they want an opening into New Road where our cafe currently is. The facts are that the Royal Pavilion (Council) and the Brighton Dome (Festival) are joining together in seeking up to £22 million of funding which will include work in the gardens. The first phase application will be made by the end of November with successful bids given money in Mar/Apr 2014 to move forward detailed costings and plans. Final decisions made in 2015 with work starting in 2016. A small Friends group has been very supportive and helping me over the last few months but I think the time has come to tell all our Friends about the uncertain future. Only the "Community" that the cafe has become over the last 73 years will give us a chance of survival beyond 2015.