Pittville Park will soon have a new cafe – with plans approved for a mobile trailer outside Pittville Pump Room to replace its former Heritage Cafe, this August 2025.
The Cheltenham Trust, which
manages the Pump Room on behalf of its owner Cheltenham Borough Council, has secured
permission use land next to the Grade I-listed building to site a mobile cafe from
which to serve hot and cold food and drink.
It is set to replace the Pump Room's former Heritage Cafe –
a purpose-built orangery and decking which stood for four years as a
'temporary' solution to social distancing rules during the Covid pandemic.
The approval comes despite concerns about the impact of the
scheme on the Grade I listed Pump Room building.
The decision to approve Julian Dunkerton’s plans for an outdoor dining terrace at No 131 earlier this year was cited by the council as an example of similar development – which the Cheltenham Civic Society described as ‘ironic’, given its fears at the time that the 131
plans would be used to justify ‘all sorts of structures’ alongside existing
buildings in the future.
Chairman Andrew Booton told Carmelo Garcia, local democracy
reporter: ‘Little did we expect that it would be Cheltenham Borough Council itself
to be the first to do it – and only a matter of weeks after its own approval of
the 131 structure!’
While likely to be an American-style Airstream trailer, the
trust has some flexibility on the type of trailer it can use, to
be agreed with planning officers at a later stage.
The plans also include the retention and 'over cladding'
with timber panelling of portable toilets and a storage container, which have
been in place since the Heritage Cafe was erected.
Tables and chairs will be set up for the cafe under the
Pump Room portico and in front of the trailer where the previous orangery was, to
be taken in and out each day.
The new cafe will be provided for 'a temporary period', aligning
with the lease The Cheltenham Trust has for the Pump Room, which is set to
expire in 2029.
The planning statement on behalf of the trust highlighted
the 'clear financial benefits’ it has seen from the operation of a cafe, helping
to ensure the Pump Room remains viable as a venue.
It adds a 'clear positive response to the cafe was seen by the public’ in petition responses for previous applications, indicating its popularity with users of the park and pump room.
