A WINCHESTER city centre café is closing after “a challenging time on the high street”.

NAAFI Winchester, in St George’s Street, first opened in April last year. The business was operated by the Navy, Army and Air Forces Institutes (NAAFI), which is the Ministry of Defence’s in-house provider of catering, retail, leisure and soft facilities management services.

However, the Chronicle has heard that little more than a year since it first opened, the café will close as NAAFI focuses its efforts elsewhere.

A NAAFI spokesperson said: “The Royal NAAFI remains committed to creating welcoming spaces for the military community and beyond to connect and unwind.

“After a challenging time on the high street, we are now making strategic adjustments to ensure we focus on our most critical locations around the world, delivering services to the many military projects we operate behind the wire.

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“Unfortunately, as a result, the staff at our Winchester branch are currently in consultation about the future of the NAAFI Cafe on St. George’s Street.

“We understand this news may disappoint some and we deeply appreciate the dedication from all our employees, both in the UK and around the world.”

A closure date has not been given.

First opening in April last year, the NAAFI Cafe held its official opening in August with a ribbon cutting featuring special guests such as NAAFI chief executive Steve Marshall and Deputy Lieutenant Joan Ferrer.

The café sold a range of food and drinks, and offered a 10 per cent discount to all serving personnel, defence discount and blue light card holders, as well as students and veterans.