Rose Garden Cafe: Sheffield council-community partnership seeks leader for work to restore Graves Park building

A partnership set up between Sheffield City Council and the local community to restore and reopen a popular park cafe is looking for an independent chair.
By Julia Armstrong, Local Democracy Reporter
Published 28th Nov 2023, 12:39 BST
Updated 28th Nov 2023, 12:42 BST
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The Rose Garden Cafe Partnership, which is working on plans to restore the Graves Park building, is now seeking an independent chair and additional partners, following its first meeting.

The partnership was set up following a decision by a council committee in October to work with the community to restore the cafe building. It was closed suddenly on safety grounds in July 2022 after structural problems were found.

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It only partly reopened as a takeaway just under a year ago, with extensive scaffolding and support in place that has cost the council £111,000 to hire, as previously reported.

Campaigners celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe partial reopening in December 2022. Sheffield City Council is now setting up a partnership to work with the community to restore the Graves Park building. Picture: Andy Kershaw Campaigners celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe partial reopening in December 2022. Sheffield City Council is now setting up a partnership to work with the community to restore the Graves Park building. Picture: Andy Kershaw
Campaigners celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe partial reopening in December 2022. Sheffield City Council is now setting up a partnership to work with the community to restore the Graves Park building. Picture: Andy Kershaw

A review of the front wall of the building is set to take place on Thursday (November 30).

More than 10,000 people signed an e-petition calling for the 95-year-old building, listed locally as a heritage asset, to be repaired and restored, rather than being demolished or replaced.

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The Rose Garden Cafe Partnership currently involves representatives of the council, the Save the Rose Garden Cafe campaign, the Friends of Graves Park and Brewkitchen, who run the cafe on the council’s behalf.

Supporters celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, Sheffield reopening as a takeaway in December 2022. Picture: Andy Kershaw Supporters celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, Sheffield reopening as a takeaway in December 2022. Picture: Andy Kershaw
Supporters celebrating the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, Sheffield reopening as a takeaway in December 2022. Picture: Andy Kershaw
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The first meeting of the partnership agreed to advertise for an independent chair, who will lead the group impartially in its work to ensure that the building is fully restored and reopened as both a park cafe and valuable community asset.

Advertisements for the chair’s job and more partners will appear on the council’s Rose Garden Cafe web page, https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/parks-sport-recreation/rose-garden-cafe-updates

Applications are set to close on December 12.

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A memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the council and the two campaigns. This sets out the intention to set up the partnership, acting “an open, honest, and transparent manner to maintain a spirit of trust and co-operation between partners” and what its aims will be.

These include creating an action plan for the overall scheme and finding grant funding to help complete the work. The Friends group will lead on the grant aspects.

The partnership will co-create public consultation on its proposals.

The next partnership meeting is due to take place on December 15.

Related topics:Graves ParkSheffield City CouncilSheffield