A POPULAR café just off Chesil Beach will close for the final time today after 10 years of trading.

The Taste Café at the Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre on Portland Beach Road, Portland, is closing today, Thursday, August 31.

It is run in partnership with the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

News of the closure has been met with sadness. One reader said: "That’s such a shame, it’s a fabulous café, really dog friendly too."

Others commented: "What a shame, such a lovely cafe," "This is so sad and so not right!!!" and "So sorry to hear this. Have loved eating there on our frequent visits to Weymouth/Portland."

The café has been awarded gold and silver tourism excellence awards in Dorset and the southwest of England and said it has received ‘many fantastic reviews’ left by customers on TripAdvisor and Google.

Dorset Echo:

Announcing the closure on social media, the Taste restaurant team said: "Now is the right time to consolidate’, focusing on its sister businesses Taste Café at Dorset Museum & Taste Conference/Banqueting and Weddings, which have operated for the last two years within Dorset Museum in Dorchester.

“We would like to thank all our wonderful customers, old and new, who have supported us at Taste Café over the past 10 years, not forgetting the great support from the Dorset Wildlife Trust team of staff and volunteers."

A customer of the café said they had been told the café is closing ‘as a direct consequence of the council’s extortionate car parking charges'.

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s head of development, Marc Kativu-Smith, said in a previous statement to the Echo that the Trust is looking for a new café operator. He said: “Taste Café has announced that they will be leaving the Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre after 10 years in successful partnership with Dorset Wildlife Trust.

“Taste has been an important part of the Visitor Centre, welcoming visitors and providing an outstanding quality of food and service with their fantastic team.

“Taste will be leaving to focus on other exciting opportunities and Dorset Wildlife Trust wish them all of the best in any new and existing ventures. Taste Café will continue to operate at the Wild Chesil Centre until 31 August.

“The Centre will remain open as normal for visitors, school visits and events and will continue to offer teas and coffees until a new café operator is found.”