Graves Park Sheffield: Rose Garden Cafe campaigners welcome action on work to try to save closed building

By Julia Armstrong, local democracy reporter

Published 13th Oct 2022, 18:45 BST

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Sheffield campaigners fighting to save a much-loved city park cafe from permanent closure have welcomed council moves to preserve the building.

The Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, which was built in 1927, was suddenly ordered to close in July after evidence of serious structural problems was found in the roof.

Since then, a campaign group has been trying to get the cafe replaced with a temporary structure and eventually repaired and reopened permanently.

Liz Hnat, from the Save the Rose Garden Cafe campaign group, said that they have now seen a design from Sheffield City Council of how the building will be propped up.

Campaigners want to see the Rose Garden Cafe at Graves Park, Sheffield thriving like this again - work is now beginning to prop up the building and look at what repairs need to be made

Campaigners want to see the Rose Garden Cafe at Graves Park, Sheffield thriving like this again - work is now beginning to prop up the building and look at what repairs need to be made

The work is due to get under way in the week beginning October 24, which will then allow several structural surveys of the building to take place.

She said that the earliest they expect to know whether Sheffield caterers Brewkitchen, who run the cafe on behalf of the council, will be able to operate in the building with the propping system installed is December 4. The group have a meeting set up with the council on December 1 to review progress.

She said: “All options should be costed by early February, at which point we’ll know what our fundraising target is for repair and refurbishment of the cafe.”

Fundraising concert

Catering firm Brewkitchen are keen to get back to running the Rose Garden Cafe at Graves Park, Sheffield - work is now beginning to prop up the building and survey it to see what repairs need to be made

Catering firm Brewkitchen are keen to get back to running the Rose Garden Cafe at Graves Park, Sheffield - work is now beginning to prop up the building and survey it to see what repairs need to be made

A meeting of the council’s South Local Area Committee last week, involving Graves Park and Beauchief and Greenhill ward councillors, committed funding from its budget to support the refurbishment.

The campaign group has been working with the Friends of Graves Park and both groups are now turning their attention to fundraising to help cover the cost of repairs and renovation. A JustGiving appeal by the Friends has raised £3,847.

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The groups will be holding a joint stall at Norton craft and makers’ market at St James’ Church on Church Road this Saturday (October 15) from 10am-3pm to give people updates and raise funds. There are framed artworks of the cafe and postcards available to buy.

Plans to prop up the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, Sheffield to stabilise the building and see what structural repairs need to be made

Plans to prop up the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, Sheffield to stabilise the building and see what structural repairs need to be made

There is also a fundraising concert on Thursday, October 20 at 8pm at Nether Edge Bowling Club on Nether Edge Road.

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