Big step forward in campaign to save Rose Garden Cafe in Sheffield Graves Park
The cafe, which was potentially doomed for demolition before a public campaign forced a Sheffield City Council rethink, needs restoration and repairs.
Sheffield campaigners to save the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park are celebrating the news that planning permission has been granted for renovation work.
The cafe, which was potentially doomed for demolition before a public campaign forced a Sheffield City Council rethink, needs restoration and repairs.
The council closed the building suddenly in July 2022, after it said a structural survey highlighted major safety concerns.
The Save the Rose Garden Cafe Campaign and Friends of Graves Park led a successful lobby to save the building and eventually partly reopen it.
Both groups are involved in a community partnership set up with the council to draw up plans and raise money for the renovation work and building updates.
The council has granted planning permission for a single-storey side extension, rebuilding of the front elevation and reroofing of the building.
Other work approved involves the installation of new windows and doors, rooflights, solar panels and air source heat pumps, plus the refurbishment of existing features.
Planning permission allows the group to go ahead with funding applications to much larger funders and charitable trusts for the restoration work.
A recent meeting of the partnership discussed the success of a summer of public fundraising which has almost reached its initial £37,500 target to fund phase one of the cafe restoration work.
Fundraising will also be boosted by series of events to celebrate the centenary of the cafe, which opened on July 29, 1927. Details of the events planned will be published soon.
Andy Kershaw from the partnership said: “Thanks to everyone who saw us at the Graves Park food festival, participated in sponsored walks or who has bought tickets for our forthcoming quiz night on September 25.”
He added: “Thanks to everyone for your ongoing support for our efforts to restore our wonderful cafe and congratulations to our hard-working cafe operators Dukes in the Park (Julie, Greg and team) on their success in their bid to run both the Rose Garden Cafe and Dukes in Norfolk Park.”
Progress on the plans will be updated at a public meeting to be held on Monday, October 19 from 6.30pm-8pm in the cafe.