Volunteers welcome a deal to save Becket's Park pavilion

The Pavilion at Becket's Park is believed to about 100 years old

Volunteers worried about the future of Becket's Park pavilion in Northampton say they welcome West Northamptonshire Council's decision to secure its future.

A lease is being signed with a caterer who wants to refurbish the building and open a café.

Another lease with the Buddies of Becket's voluntary group will allow them to use it as a storage base.

The plan has been agreed by the council's cabinet.

The pavilion is thought to be about 100 years old and was used as a changing facility by people enjoying sports activities at the park.

For many years, it housed a café and was a popular rendezvous for friends meeting up for a stroll around the park.

After the owner died, the café closed its doors. The building was then mainly used by the voluntary group, Buddies of Becket's, to store tools and equipment for the projects they undertake to improve the park.

The new deal agreed by the council involves a commercial lease with a professional caterer who will refurbish the building and seek to reopen the café in return for a rent-free first year.

Another lease is being signed by Buddies of Becket's, who won't pay any rent and will continue to use the pavilion to support the work they do at the park.

Malcolm Longley, cabinet member for finance, said: "We're extremely happy that we've been able to find a way of supporting Buddies of Becket's while potentially creating a new enterprise at the heart of one of our wonderful open spaces."

Nick Stephens from Buddies of Becket's said: "Buddies of Beckets is very pleased that the future of the Pavilion in the park has finally been resolved."

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