COLLEGE bosses have confirmed a fine dining experience in Accrington is set to end with the scrapping of one of their departments.

Catering and hospitality students at Accrington and Rossendale College have been serving up gourmet dishes at Roots Restaurant on the Sandy Lane campus since August 2015.

Their popular ‘beat the clock’ menu on Wednesdays offered top-class cuisine at a fraction of the usual price.

And as well as securing a four-star TripAdvisor rating, it also took on outside contracts like Hyndburn Business Awards.

Student chefs and their tutors have also been keen supporters of Accrington’s annual food festival and even developed their own ‘Accrington Caviar’ last year.

But the leaders of the newly-merged Accrington and Rossendale and Nelson and Colne colleges board have now admitted the hospitality and catering section is being axed at the end of this academic year due to falling student numbers.

Amanda Melton, AccRoss principal, said: “It is with regret that we are no longer able to continue our hospitality and catering vocational provision.

“Student recruitment in the hospitality and catering department has seen a downward trend over the last few years, not only at ARC, but nationally as well.

“More students are opting for work-based provision, instead of full-time programmes, and as such our apprenticeship catering provision will remain the same

“To maintain a stable and secure financial position for the college, we need to regularly review the provision we offer to ensure that it remains financially viable.

“A number of factors are considered including student recruitment, retention and destinations in work, as well as the cost of offering the provision such as facilities and staffing.”

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She also said that current students will continue to be supported until the end of their courses.

Seven members of staff are understood to be affected by the decision and college chiefs say they are in discussions over possible redeployment options. Restaurant facilities at the Heartwood Centre will be remodelled.

The announcement has left the promoters of Hyndburn Business Awards with a dilemma ahead of their June 18 gathering. College caterers have served up at their past three ceremonies.

Rob Carder, chairman at organisers Enterprising People, said the students had done a wonderful job each time.

He is urging potential replacements to email him at rob@enterprisingpeople.org.uk