Highcliffe cafe boss Sean Kearney wins contract to run Highcliffe tea rooms for summer

A BUSINESSMAN who ran Highcliffe Castle tearooms for 17 years before losing the contract is back after winning the rights for a temporary cafe there over the summer.

Sean Kearney was furious when he lost the lease which was awarded to American company Aramark in 2017.

But as the A&T revealed, the company handed it back in April last year after failing to make a profit.

The eatery was taken over by BCP Council before it announced in November that it would be closing at the end of the month for six months while a new operator was found.

That prompted anger from Highcliffe Residents Association which said the lease “should never have been taken away” from Mr Kearney, who now runs the successful Cliffhanger cafe at Highcliffe.

Speaking to the A&T in November, Mr Kearney called the closure “sad” but claimed:

“Closing the cafe is wrong but obviously the council have not done a good job at running it.”

He said at the time he would be interested in running the tearooms again but would need “certain reassurances” from the council about how he could operate.

Now the council has announced that a company of which he is a director, Cliffhanger Cafe Ltd, will now be operating a “brilliant takeaway service from a separate catering pitch”.

It will be located just outside the tearooms which will remain closed.

What the new facility will look like has not been revealed but it will use the existing outdoor seating and be open until September

Cllr Beverley Dunlop, cabinet member for tourism, culture and vibrant places said: “Highcliffe Castle is a treasured piece of history that we are lucky to be the custodians of. Its unique setting and heritage should be reflected in the cafe.

"In the coming months we will be exploring opportunities to deliver a restaurant facility that is fitting for this grand location and one that will enhance the visitor experience.

“In the meantime, it was really important that we get a welcoming and quality caterer on site ahead of what promises to be a fantastic season in 2023, and the team are rightly very excited to have the Cliffhanger Cafe ready to start serving as a temporary offer from next week.”

Martin Horsfield, operations director at Cliffhanger Cafe Ltd, said: “The team at Cliffhanger is looking forward to working alongside Highcliffe Castle and BCP Council in the coming months.

"We will be offering a wide range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and fresh produce to suit all tastes and requirements.

"It’s an exciting venture which will provide welcome refreshments for visitors to the castle and walkers alike.”

An employee at the Cliffhanger said Mr Kearney is currently on holiday but said he was “delighted” to have won the contract for the tearooms.

Mary Reader, of the Highcliffe Residents Association, was glad to see Mr Kearney take the contract, saying he had done a "great job" previously.

She added: "We look forward to the main tearoom being opened later in the year and await to see who the new operator will be for that most important facility."

Highcliffe councillor Andy Martin said he was "delighted that an excellent local business that uses local suppliers, has been awarded the temporary contract. Residents and visitors will also be delighted".

He added: "Sean and his team are obviously more than familiar with the site and I know they will provide a great service in the current limited circumstances at the castle.

"Sean’s Cliffhanger operation is outstanding and shows what can be done."