The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium has announced that charity Royal Voluntary Service will take over the running of its on-site café .
The charity will fully refurbish the premises and bring in a new menu focused on healthy eating, providing high quality food and barista style coffee at an affordable price.
The City of London Corporation, which manages the cemetery, retendered in June as the previous occupant’s five-year lease came to an end.
The Royal Voluntary Service supports the public and the NHS in every part of the UK – volunteering in hospitals, at home and in the community.
The charity is also one of the largest retailers in the NHS, with its network of cafes and shops providing a valued haven in hospitals.
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Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Port Health and Environmental Services Committee, Keith Bottomley, said: “We are very excited to be working with the Royal Voluntary Service.
“It’s a new step for the café with a focus on healthy eating which is a direction we are keen to take.
“It is also great to be working with a charity who have a dedicated team of volunteers who will help run the café.
“We want to provide the absolute best service possible at this site and look forward to the refurbishment.”
The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is a Grade I listed landscape, with eight Grade II listed buildings within the site, in the heart of East London which has been open since 1856.
The 200-acre site provides a picturesque, safe, parkland atmosphere and offers formal gardens, well maintained roadways, tree lined avenues and local heritage.
The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is located in the London Borough of Newham, opposite Wanstead Flats and is a short walk from Manor Park railway station.
Head of Retail Operations at Royal Voluntary Service, Chris Gray, said: “We are honoured to be setting up a café on site at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium.
“This is a place where people will come for refreshments as they pay their respects to loved ones and our staff and volunteers will make it a safe and friendly environment for them to do so.
“We are passionate about supporting the local community and are looking forward to welcoming staff and volunteers from East London to help us run the café.”
Amongst the famous people buried at the cemetery are Sir Robert Hooke, Bobby Moore and two of the Jack the Ripper victims.
The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is visited by nearly half a million people throughout the year, as well as a similar number of people attending the 3,500 funeral services each year.
Over one million people have been buried or cremated at the site.
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