Update April 2024

• The container cafe is now on site and will be connected to services and fitted out in the coming weeks.
• We anticipate that the cafe will be open by the end of April.

Update March 2024

• Groundworks have begun to prepare the water and electricity services for the cafe
• The play equipment is waiting for final alterations to the slide.
• We anticipate the cafe will be open by the end of April. 

Update March 2023

Due to supply chain issues the plans for the café and toilets have been further delayed. In the meantime, we are looking at installing a temporary café facility on site as soon as possible.

Update November 2022

Planning permission has been granted to install a café, a small play area and toilet facilities and in the area of land adjacent to the car park at the entrance to Thorpe Meadows. 

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These plans form part of the Nene Park Masterplan, which determines the key strategic projects for Nene Park over the next 50 years. Following on from other recent projects such as the new play area, Fox Play, and the plans for the new Lakeside Activity Centre, the proposals for the café at Thorpe Meadows continue these Masterplan aims of improving the Nene Park visitor offer across the whole Park, as well as impact and sustainability.

Thorpe Meadows is home to Nene Park’s purpose-built rowing lake, riverside walks and many of the sculptures in Peterborough’s collection. With around 370,000 visits a year, Thorpe Meadows is a popular destination for walkers, cyclists, dogwalkers and rowers.  The Rowing Lake has been home to the Peterborough City Rowing Club since 1983 and is an active club, attracting participants of all ages and abilities.  Despite the popular destination, there are currently no toilet, café or play facilities for visitors, hence the reason for this proposed development.

See the image below for the proposed café, small play area and toilet facilities adjacent to the car park at the entrance to Thorpe Meadows (marked below 1. for the café and 2. for the play area)

We are working with award winning, innovative company Iso spaces, that designs, manufactures and installs bespoke modular buildings from recycled shipping container units. We expect the café to look like the artist's impression below and hope the installation will be completed by late spring 2023.  

   

As you can see from the plans below, the toilet facilities will include three standard toilet cubicles and an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities. The café will include some indoor seating as well an outside terrace of seating, overlooking the play equipment.

 

We want to enable visitors to extend their visit at the Thorpe Meadows, providing them with a place to meet friends, pick up a post- workout coffee, or just relax and enjoy the stunning setting of the rowing lake. 

It is anticipated the new café will be operational in spring 2024.

FAQs for the project can be found here.