The café and bar at Sharley Park Leisure Centre, in Clay Cross, will be closed by September as part of NE Derbyshire District Council plans to reduce spending on catering.

Redundancy notices have been sent out to the 14 staff members – one of whom has been found alternative employment within the council – with training and support arranged for the others.

Redundancy letters

One of the affected members of staff, who did not want to be named, said: "Fourteen members of staff have received redundancy letters saying consultation had taken place about permanent jobs but no suitable vacancies were available for most.

"Some finish on July 27 while long-servers finish in September.

"It's just not been done right. They say customers don't want it but they do."

A council spokeswoman said that the catering facilities are run as an ancillary service to its core business of providing leisure and sports facilities.

She said that catering currently costs the council more than £80,000-a-year at a time when the Government is encouraging authorities to focus resources on "core and essential" services.

In addition, the café and bar at Sharley Park are in urgent need of substantial renovation and refurbishment.

The council is planning to open a refreshment area with vending machines by the time the café and bar closes.