New café will open in Banbury’s People’s Park this summer

A new café will open in Banbury’s People’s Park this summer.

The café, which will have indoor and outside seating, is part of Banbury Town Council’s ongoing improvements at the park and follows last year’s opening of toilets in the walled garden.

The new amenities are the result of a survey of park users in which the café and toilets came top of the most-wanted list.

Both buildings have ‘green’ credentials.

The café re-uses a Victorian brick building at the park’s Warwick Road entrance and the toilets are converted offices formerly used by the park rangers.

The council is now looking for a company or individual to run the café on a lease agreement.

Local commercial property agent Wild Property is handling the selection process which is taking place over the next four weeks.

Neil Wild said: “The chosen operator will be able to influence the style and brand of the business. There are wider catering opportunities to take advantage of as the building is capable of acting as a take-away or as a base for food delivery to local residents.”

Leader of the town council Kieron Mallon said: “The new café will make People’s Park a real destination facility where people can relax and eat and drink at their leisure. Together with the toilets it means residents can ‘make a day’ of it and enjoy the park at its

best.”

He added: “These improvements show that as a council, we listen to the people.”

Park user Tim Smedley said: “The café will enable us, as a family, to enjoy the park for longer periods. It will be a lovely amenity

that will encourage the community to come together more often.”

The café conversion was designed by local firm Acanthus Clews Architects – and building work was done by CJ Charles and Son.