Your chance to run the restored Boating Lake and Island Café in Great Yarmouth
Would you fancy running Great Yarmouth's historic Boating Lake and Island Café when the restored tourist attraction and community park re-opens next spring? That is the unique opportunity being offered to the public by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, as work continues apace on the £2.7m restoration of the Waterways and Boating Lake.
The council project, supported by the National Lottery, is seeing the Grade II-listed Boating Lake and Island Café refurbished and brought back into use, the Waterways bridges and shelters restored, and volunteers reinstating the beautiful planting scheme dating from 1928.
With this transformation well underway, the council is now seeking either one or two operators to undertake the management of the Island Café, Boating Lake and ticket kiosk, and/or the ongoing gardening and maintenance of the Waterways and Boating Lake sites.
Artist's impressions show that the café would seat around 20 people inside, plus extra seating outside. The tenant will complete the fit-out and furnishing to their requirements. The attraction must be run and managed by an operator with a social enterprise element to their business operation.
Cllr Barry Coleman, chairman of the economic development committee, said: "Anyone walking past the Waterways and Boating Lake recently will have seen that the restoration is well underway. The Island Café is starting to look very stylish and attractive, with its re-thatched roof and the removal of the 1960s extensions.
"This is a unique opportunity for an individual or organisation with a bit of imagination - and bags of enthusiasm - to become an important part of the inspirational story of this restoration project, by operating one of the borough's most special, historic and beloved community parks and tourist attractions.
"We intend the Boating Lake to again become a destination in itself, complementing the Waterways and driving footfall and business to this area, with people relaxing at the café and having fun on the water in rowing boats and pedaloes. If you think you could run it, then please get in touch via the online portal."
Interested individuals, organisations or businesses can find out more about this opportunity by clicking here. The closing date for receipt tenders via the portal is December 13, at noon.
The project aims to involve the community in enhancing and interpreting a unique community facility, tourist attraction and heritage asset, supporting the local economy, boosting civic pride and providing people with meaningful opportunities to improve skills and access further training or employment.
Work is funded by a £1.7m National Lottery grant awarded through the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund, plus further support from the borough council, New Anglia LEP and the Government. The council is undertaking the project in partnership with Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust.
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