AN ETHICAL kitchen is to close, leaving its workers “disappointed”.

Infinity Foods Kitchen in Brighton’s North Laine will be serving its last gluten-free organic vegetarian dish on Sunday.

Despite being run by a workers’ co-op, staff say they did not have a vote on its closure.

And they have been left “disappointed” that the new team was not given enough time to “turn things around”.

One worker at the cafe, who asked not to be named, said: “Sadly, the business decision has been made.

“The amazing new team have given everything to turn it around – and have succeeded – but, sadly, the members of the shop would not carry it on.”

The kitchen is part of the Infinity Foods workers’ co-op.

The co-op also runs the Infinity Foods Shop and Bakery in North Road.

This will not be closing.

But the kitchen, in nearby Gardner Street, will open for the last time on Sunday.

This comes after a vote by members of the co-op.

However, workers in the kitchen say that because they are new members, they were not entitled to vote on the decision – or even attend the meeting last Thursday.

The kitchen worker added: “It’s very, very sad.

“It’s disappointing and feels like we’re in a grieving process as we have put so much in.

“In a workers’ co-op, you feel like you have a secured job but we’re keeping our heads held high and doing it the justice it deserves by showing people how amazing the food is.”

On the last day, cafe-goers will be treated to special discounts.

A spokesman for Infinity Foods said the decision was based on financial reasons.

He said: “Running a kitchen in Brighton and Hove is a very competitive market and when doing this as ethically as we can it can be difficult.

“Infinity foods shop have financially supported the running costs of the cafe, but that this is no longer sustainable.

“As a workers’ co-operative, it is important for us to pay staff well and with good sociable working hours.”

The workers’ co-op said all workers will be offered redundancy pay, as well as positions in the shop, which is round the corner.

The spokesman added: “Using organic ingredients meant we couldn’t always be competitive on price despite our efforts to make food at affordable prices and this made the costs of running the kitchen very high.

“We have offered redundancy pay to all the kitchen staff no matter how long they have worked at the kitchen and also offered positions in other departments of the co-operative.”

Infinity Foods celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2016.

It was thought of by local teenagers Peter Deadman and Ian Loeffler in the late 1960s.

And it started as a health food cafe at the University of Sussex called Biting Through.

After the pair inherited money from an aunt, they invested it into a shop in Church Street.

The operation grew and they had to move to its current location in 1974.

Visit www.infinityfoods.co.uk for more information on the business.