STAFF and visitors at Southampton Civic Centre have been left bewildered after the sudden closure of a popular cafe.

For years the Fountains cafe has been a popular pit-stop for visitors to the city’s art gallery and library as well as hundreds of council workers.

But the cafe has suddenly closed without warning, only eight months after Alfresco Services, the private firm who ran it, took over on a ten-year lease.

Chairs have now been piled up by the entrance after the cafe was apparently stripped of its stock and kitchen equipment.

The same firm also won the bid to take over the Park Cafe at Hogland’s Park and was due to take over imminently.

When the Daily Echo tried to contact Alfresco Services, the number redirected to another catering firm, Worthing Dome Events, who refused to answer our questions and hung up.

According to the city council the company has ceased trading and the authority is investigating further in a bid to get the cafe reopened.

The council defended its decision to choose Alfresco Services over former leaseholder Haider Hussaini, who managed the cafe from May 2003 to August 2011, saying the firm had “a successful reputation for managing and delivering contract catering in theatres and arts centres up and down the country.”

Mike Harris, senior manager for leisure and culture, said: “We were informed today that Alfresco Services has ceased trading.

“This means that they have withdrawn their services from the Fountains cafe in the Civic Centre, which is now closed to the public.

“We apologise to the residents and visitors for any inconvenience this may cause. We will now look at all the options available to us, and see if we are able to secure a new operator to continue to run the popular cafe.”