FOR years Blenheim Tea Rooms was a popular destination for diners from around the globe to enjoy cream teas and cucumber sandwiches.

But now the tea rooms and guest house in Park Street, Woodstock, have closed after a drop in takings over recent years.

The tea rooms are being turned into accommodation and shut the doors for the final time on Sunday.

Nicola Seager, 47, who has worked there for the past 16 years, said owner Christine Box decided to close because the number of customers had fallen.

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The tea rooms is a short distance from the town gate entrance to Blenheim Palace, where there are a number of cafes and restaurants.

There is also a cafe at the Oxfordshire Museum on the opposite side of Park Street.

Miss Seager, who lives in Yarnton, said: “Unfortunately business has become so quiet in the last couple of years and the tea rooms was not the thriving place it used to be.

“For years tourism coaches have not stopped in Woodstock – they go straight to Blenheim Palace – and if people get a season ticket at Blenheim, once they no longer have to pay to get in they don’t mind spending there.”

Manager Diane Maynard and her deputy Marilyn Cassford had worked at the tea rooms for the past 18 years.

Mrs Cassford, 63, from Bicester, added: “It’s very sad but I’m going to retire now. The tea rooms had been open for many years- Some customers remembered there was a guest house here in the Second World War.

“The owner tried to sell it as a business but there wasn’t a lot of interest so it is going to be a private house.”

Miss Seager added: “Over the years we had thousands of visitors from all over the world. We have had quite a few celebrities in, including former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp, actor Joseph Fiennes and gardener Diarmuid Gavin.”

Woodstock town mayor Julian Cooper said: “There is plenty of competition for the Blenheim tea rooms, which has got planning permission to be turned into accommodation.

“There are other cafes in the town but Blenheim Tea Rooms was our traditional tea rooms so it’s a sad loss.

The tea rooms has been open for many years - certainly since the 1980s.

We are trying to persuade bus drivers bringing in tourists to stop in the town centre first before they drop people off at Blenheim, but this is a battle because Blenheim is a world heritage site.”