VOLUNTEERS could expand their operation of the café at the Coach House in Rhyddings Park.

Hyndburn Council members were previously advised that Bootstrap Enterprises would run the café at the Coach House in the Oswaldtwistle park, with the intention that the Friends of Rhyddings Park would sublet that part of the Coach House to the charity.

But the grant-funding opportunities for Bootstrap Enterprises have fallen through and they are currently not in a position to run the café.

The Friends Of Rhyddings Park have been operating the café for events and on Saturday and Sunday mornings on licence.

They say this has proved a success and have proposed they run the café on allocated days during the week instead of Bootstrap Enterprises.

Hyndburn Council cabinet members will decide whether to approve a variation of the lease for the café when they meet on Wednesday.

In a report to go before the cabinet, deputy head of environmental services Craig Haraben said: “One of the Rhyddings Park project outcomes agreed with the Heritage Lottery Fund is to use the Coach House building as meeting rooms, a cafe and a training kitchen.

“The Friends Of Rhyddings Park is a registered charitable incorporated organisation but it is possible that they may create a new social enterprise company for the purpose of running the café.

“Members of Friends Of Rhyddings Park have undertaken food hygiene training, have appropriate food safety management systems in place and been awarded a five-star rating by the council’s food and safety team, so are seen as a suitable organisation to run the café.

“The intention is that all profit derived from the café operation will be used by the Friends Of Rhyddings Park for the betterment of the use of the Coach House building and park," Mr Haraben added.

“This profit may be used to help fund events in Rhyddings Park, Friends Of Rhyddings Park activities, and not necessarily maintenance or running costs of the building and park.”