Plans to improve visitor experience at Selston Country Park with café extension

Ashfield Council has lodged the plans to its own planning department and aims to “significantly increase” the size of the Café In The Park.

The café initially opened in 2007, but was closed from 2017 until March 2021, when it reopened after minor refurbishments, including improvements to the kitchen and being taken over by a local company.

However, the council says there is often not enough seating for customers.

Now it plans to extend the facility by offering a bi-folding screen to allow visitors to look out over a planned new play area, part of wider improvements to the park.

A pergola would also be introduced to add additional seating and cover in the outside area and an existing compound would be removed to create more internal seating.

In documents, the authority says: “We believe the proposals have been developed and designed to enhance the existing café/parks facilities and provide more space for the demand currently experienced by the café operator.

“The extension is part of a wider set of proposals and will add value to and amenities to them, specifically the children’s play park so parents have somewhere to sit and watch over their children playing.”

The authority added: “Since its reopening, it has become a popular spot for locals and visitors. On occasion, it reported there is not sufficient capacity for customers to sit in the covered area, especially in the colder months.

“There were early considerations and feasibility designs to provide a purely external seating area with permanent canopy cover, but these were deemed not to meet the requirements of the café operator for year-round operation and would introduce additional maintenance requirements.”

Other, separate improvements to the park include a croquet pitch and wildflower meadow.

Coun Andy Gascoyne, council member for Selston, said: “This application is the next stage of our ambitious plans to turn our provide amazing facilities for the people of our parish.

“It will significantly increase the size of the café, get rid of our compound and improve the visitor experience.

“This is the latest part of our £250,000 investment in our country park.”