A CAFE lounge and bakery helping people who quit drugs and alcohol to get back into work closed down this morning after losing funding.

Forks Cafe in North Parade had become a victim of central government cuts, said Jon Royle who is chief executive of the Bridge project, the charity that ran and owned the social enterprise which opened its doors in 2014 giving hospitality and catering training and work experience to people recovering from substance problems.

Mr Royle said: “We are saddened to be losing our fantastic staff team and loyal customers. Forks was not only a first class cafe but a training venue for people with significant life challenges.

"Our business model has always been dependent on external funding, as the overall running cost far exceeds the turnover of even a successful commercial café. Unfortunately, due to central government cuts this funding is no longer available and consequently Forks has become financially unsustainable.

"I would like to thank all of our supporters and celebrate Forks' fantastic achievements, in particular the many trainees who’ve gone on to find employment and whose lives have been enriched by their experience.”

The plan when it opened was that about 50 hospitality and catering recruits who have successfully been through treatment making their abusive past history, would pass through its doors every year learning skills on the job and getting qualifications at the city's Forster Community College which would help them build a new start.

All the profits made by the self-sufficient business were to be ploughed back into the £400,000 scheme. To make Forks happen The Bridge Project charity had to get a mortgage for the building and put its own reserve funds into the pot and a £138,000 grant from Bradford Council's City Centre Growth Zone fund also helped it on its way.

Forks was out to change a shocking statistic that three years ago only 20 per cent of people in drug treatment in England were in work.

Mr Royle said the Bridge Project would continue to support new and existing training and work placements through the Unity Recovery Centre.

Anyone wanting more information can contact the Unity Centre manager on 01274 758060