28/01/09 - Café culture at heart of Stourport Canal Basins
Work is underway on an ambitious project to transform an old workshop and stable building at the heart of Stourport’s historic canal basins into a stylish café-restaurant, office and heritage information centre.
The project is being funded with the help of a £500,000 grant from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands to the Stourport Forward Market Towns Initiative (MTI).
Conversion work, which is being carried out by Stourport-based company Thomas Vale Construction, will be completed by the Spring - and Stourport Forward is now starting the search for prospective tenants to lease the café-restaurant and kitchen from April 1st 2009.
The award-winning project will put the finishing touches to a £4.5 million programme of restoration and enhancement in Stourport funded by British Waterways, Advantage West Midlands through Stourport Forward MTI and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Other partners include Worcestershire County Council, Wyre Forest District Council, Stourport Town Council and Arts Council England.
Colin Hughes, Chair of Stourport Forward, said: “This project is another great achievement for Stourport. The Georgian splendour of Stourport Basins is the perfect setting for a café/restaurant and heritage room
“While these are difficult times for the economy, this is a marvellous business opportunity. Stourport’s canal basins are enjoying a renaissance and are sure to attract new visitors in 2009 at a time when people are looking for more affordable leisure opportunities and quality places to eat closer to home.”
Tony Hyde, Managing Director at Thomas Vale Construction, said the company had a 140-year history of working in the area and had wide experience of restoring listed buildings using the latest heritage restoration techniques.
He added: “Our local knowledge has proved invaluable when ensuring the heritage of the local area is preserved. We are extremely proud to be involved in this phase of the redevelopment of the Stourport Basins.”
Phil Roberts, Partnerships Director at Advantage West Midlands, said: ““Developing and investing in our market towns is absolutely essential for the development of our region.
“Market towns are vital hubs and provide crucial services for the communities they serve – and Stourport is undoubtedly one of our success stories and shows how partners can work together to deliver regeneration.”
Ian Morgan, Faithful+Gould’s Project Manager for the scheme, said: “The opportunity to work alongside Stourport Forward to reinvigorate the basins has been a real privilege. I’m delighted that our experience within the regeneration sector has helped drive the project forward.”
Prospective tenants for the café/restaurant should contact Liz Durnell, Stourport Forward Programme Manager on 0791 732 6561 or Phipps and Pritchard on 01299 822060 for further information.
In addition to the heritage information room, which will be adjacent to the café-restaurant, there are also plans to develop events and activities to bring the basins to life by drawing on the history of the town as a canal port.
These include costume guided walks, developed by the Monday Night Group and Civic Society, and heritage weekends. Potential volunteers to assist with these new projects should also contact contact Liz Durnell at Stourport Forward.
In March 2008, Stourport-on-Severn won a special outstanding achievement award in The BURA Waterways Renaissance Awards 2008 for the transformation of the town.
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