Pictures show how beloved park cafe could look as plans outlined for popular Sheffield facility
Details described of planned transformation of well known cafe
Pictures show how a beloved Sheffield park cafe could look under plans to restore and extend the building.
The planning application for the restoration of the popular Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park show an artists impression of what families can expect at the cafe in the future.
It was closed in July 2022 over fears for its structural safety, but re-opened two years later, following pressure from the public. The total estimated cost of the work is £2.6m.
The building, dating back to 1927, is owned by Friends of Graves Park, of which Sheffield Council is the trustee, and it is the council that has submitted the planning application.
It includes a ‘symbolically important’ restored clock tower and new outside covered seating area.
Documents which have been drawn up to go with the plans by the planning consultants Wainwrights, say the building embodies the close association with JG Graves, arguably Sheffield’s most prominent public benefactor, and represents a pivotal moment in the history of the park: the transition from a private landed estate to a public recreational space.
They add it has strong community significance, having served as a meeting place for generations of Sheffield residents.
Following public consultation, Wainwrights said that out of four options which had been on the table, officials had decided to create what they described as a ‘larger’ rear extension providing a ‘generously proportioned’ hire room, toilet and changing area, external hatch, and well-resolved servery circulation.
They said the plans were expected to:
• Preserve the front wall with deeper foundations.
• Restore the building to how it looked in 1927, restoring the clock tower, replacing windows and doors with designs sympathetic to the original, and re-roofing in matching materials.
• Modernise the building inside to current standards
• Upgrade all building services to current standards,
• Create new covered external seating, a community hire room, a toilet, an external servery hatch, and improved accessibility
The new covered seating area would provide a sheltered, all-weather seating space , directly accessible from the main seating hall.
It reveals the public was particularly keen to see the clock tower restored.
It added: “Restoration of the clock tower is a symbolically important element of the proposals and was specifically requested through the public consultation.
“The clock face is currently absent; historic photographs provide clues to the appearance of the clock face, and this will inform the design of a new replacement.
“The mechanism will be a modern radio-controlled electric motor, avoiding the need for manual adjustment at roof level, including for daylight saving changes.”
At 248 acres, Graves Park is Sheffield's largest public park.