A LEARNING disability charity café is keeping its head well above water after being recognised as one of Witney’s most popular places to eat.

Yellow Submarine, which is based in the Windrush Leisure Centre, has earned itself a string of five star reviews on Trip Advisor, as well as attracting a growing number of regular customers, since it opened six months ago.

Trip Advisor spokesman James Kay said the café had consistently ranked top in the popularity index of cafés in the area over the past year, and was still in first place.

He said: “Yellow Submarine has done very well in the time it’s been open and there are lots of comments on the website praising it.”

The charity employs seven apprentices and four trainees in Witney and at its sister café in Oxford, with local apprentices attending a customer service course at Abingdon and Witney College.

Ian Rigsby, 27, who has worked as an apprentice at the café since last September, said: “I used to have a job as a cleaner but this is much better as I feel my confidence has really grown.

“I really enjoy working here. The best part is meeting customers and I would love to carry that on into a full-time job.”

The charity runs sessions in its cafes across Oxfordshire for people aged11 upwards and offers holiday programmes, youth clubs, breakfast clubs and residential holidays.

Its aim is to help teenagers transition into adulthood so they are able to access mainstream services, socialise independently and engage in meaningful work.

Head of enterprises at Yellow Submarine Paul Stanton Humphreys said he was pleased the café was proving so popular with the local community.

He said: “We are delighted with our success in Witney and the café will continue to grow.

“It is not just about the feedback we are receiving on TripAdvisor and social media, customers are coming back time after time and telling us about the brilliant service and how good the café looks.”

The project is run in conjunction with West Oxfordshire District Council, which provided more than £30,000 towards renovations and GLL, the leisure contractor which manages the centre on the council’s behalf.

Councillor James Mills, the district council’s cabinet member for leisure and health, said he thought the success of the café was impressive given that it was only opened by David Cameron six months ago.

He said: “It is fantastic to see how the café is thriving in such a short space of time.

“I am sure it will go from strength to strength with people enjoying great food and drink in the knowledge they are supporting a wonderful cause.”