Rose Garden Café: Concerns over lack of decision over Sheffield cafés future

The Rose Garden Café in Graves Park was forced to close on July 27 after a council report concluded its roof was unstable, leaving the future of the building, cafe and jobs of 12 members of staff in doubt.

In their most recent updates, Sheffield Council says discussions around the future of the building, which was built in 1927, continue.

But campaigners from Friends of Graves Park say they are concerned that ‘no decisions have been made about anything at all,’ and that plans for a ‘temporary facility’ to be put in place in the meantime have not been realised.

Caroline Dewar, Chair of Friends of Graves Park, said: “There is no support or help for the 12 members of staff who are currently unemployed. Discussions have taken place, but these have been dragged out of the council, when people have finally come back from holiday.

“The council has created this mess and yet are dragging their feet when it comes to doing anything to fix it.

“The Friends of Graves Park suggested that a temporary facility be put in place, as a matter of urgency, at the end of July. We were told that this was in progress, that plans were in place, but that no decisions could be made until the new committee for parks met in September. We have spent the last 5 weeks, along with others, desperately trying to get some movement from the council, so that some facility could be put in the park for the summer holidays. We failed, mainly because the council would not shift itself and do it.”

Speaking in mid-August, Ajman Ali, the council’s executive director of operational services, said: “Since the sudden closure of the building, we have been doing all we can to find a suitable temporary alternative for the café to ensure refreshments are available to people in the park.

“We know that the timing of the closure came as a blow to the business, with trade typically increasing during the summer holidays, and we’ve worked as quickly as possible to make a decision on the way forward, including reviewing the original decision to close the building for the safety of the staff and customers.

“After assessing all the options available, allowing the operator the opportunity to provide and run a temporary facility was deemed the fastest, most appropriate way to reignite trade and provide a provision in the park.”

Mr Ali also said the council is ‘committed’ to ‘featuring a café in the park long term’.

There was public outcry in response to the sudden closure of the café and a Save The Rose Garden group was set up, with over 200 people attending a public meeting held in August.

An online petition set up on Change.Org calling on the council to save the café has now received almost 8,200 signatures.

Campaigners have also launched a Just Giving fundraising page to collect funds to pay for building repairs, and total of £3,545 has been donated so far.

Sheffield Council has been contacted for comment and an update.