Cafe at Shrewsbury's Quarry Pool shut as firm enters liquidation

The company in charge of catering at Shrewsbury's Quarry Swimming Pool has gone into administration. MPM?Concession Ltd has been put into voluntary liquidation.

Shropshire Council, which runs the swimming pool, said today the cafe closed last week and would remain closed until further notice.

It brought in a private firm to run the cafe in 2010 after catering at the swimming pool made an annual loss of nearly £40,000.

At the time officials said part of the problem was that it was being run by leisure centre staff and not trained caterers with the experience needed to make it a success.

Councillor Steve Charmley, cabinet member for health and well-being, said today: "Shropshire Council has been informed that MPM Concessions Ltd, who run the cafe at the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre in Shrewsbury, has ceased trading after being put into voluntary liquidation."

He added: "The council is now looking at possible future catering provision for the centre."

Shropshire Council's Labour leader, Alan Mosley, said the news called into question the council's plans to run services in partnership with private firms.

He said he feared the authority would have to go 'cap in hand' to Serco, the leisure giant which is in talks to take over the running of five Shropshire leisure centres, including the Quarry Pool, for the next 10 years.