A café owner has vowed to continue battling to save his business after the City of London Corporation awarded the lease on its premises to a charity.
The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium announced today (August 31) that the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) will take over its on-site café, which has been run as The Poppy Pantry by Paul Charters since 2016.
RVS promised a refurbished premises and new menu focused on "healthy eating", "high-quality" and barista-style coffee at an "affordable price".
The corporation - which manages the cemetery in Manor Park - put the five-year lease out to tender in June as the previous deal came to an end.
Paul urged the authority to automatically renew his lease as a gesture of goodwill, having battled through Covid-19 lockdowns to keep The Poppy Pantry afloat.
He described the news as devastating: "This decision dishonours the 731 military personnel buried in the City of London Cemetery.
"If those military personnel were around to see what's gone on here, they would be wondering what they gave their lives for.
"There's been no thought for the 6,000 grieving members of the public who use the café."
However, Keith Bottomley, who chairs the corporation’s port health and environmental services committee, said: "We are excited to be working with the [RVS].
"We want to provide the absolute best service possible at this site and look forward to the refurbishment."
But Mr Charters questioned the bidding process, vowed to appeal and threatened protest action.
He had already won support from Labour politician Lord Michael Cashman, as well as former SAS trooper and author Phil Campion.
East Ham MP Stephen Timms wrote to the corporation in June asking if it was possible to extend The Poppy Pantry's lease.
A petition in support of extending also gained 6,000 signatures, according to Mr Charters.
An amateur Second World War historian, Mr Charters and staff of the Remembrance-themed eatery presented veterans' charity the Royal British Legion (RBL) with a cheque for £500 in May.
Keith Franklyn, who chairs Leytonstone's RBL branch, also wrote to the corporation to say "it would be [a] travesty" if Mr Charters lost the lease.
RVS head of retail operations, Chris Gray, said: "We are passionate about supporting the community and are looking forward to welcoming staff and volunteers to help us run the café."
The charity manages volunteers in hospitals, homes and communities. It is one of the largest retailers in the NHS.
The 200-acre cemetery is a Grade I-listed landscape with eight Grade II-listed buildings on site.
Among the famous people buried there are Bobby Moore and two of Jack the Ripper's victims.
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