IT’S back to the bus shelter for youngsters in Lydney as the town’s only youth cafe closes down.

Members of the Lydney Youth Cafe decided to call it a day due to lack of trained staff and the difficulty in securing funding.

Derek Biddle, chairman of the youth cafe, said he was sad to see the venue shut down as it provided a good service to vulnerable youths.

He said: “It was a popular cafe especially in the winter months. Teenagers would hang out at the skate park more so in the summer.

“Now that we’re closing there is no other place for youths to gather in the town. It’s back to the bus shelter for young people in the town.

“It’s a shame we are closing down but we lost two members of staff in May and we were finding it increasingly difficult to find funding.”

The cafe had been running for 14 years and was set up after it was identified that Lydney lacked a venue for youths to gather.

Alan Preest, town councillor, said: “It’s a shame the youth cafe is closing down, You can’t keep funding something to keep it going as there are other clubs and sports organisations who are doing a lot for youth in the town.”

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