Options to be explored for future of Rose Garden Café in Graves Park

Discussions are underway to explore options for the future of the Rose Garden Café in Graves Park after it had to close due to safety reasons with immediate effect last week.

A report conducted in July 2022 highlighted concerns about the structural integrity of the building and concluded it had reached the end of its life.

Following further advice from a structural engineer, the decision was made to stop people entering for their own safety. A further independent survey has been carried out which confirmed the initial findings.

Sheffield City Council has been in discussions with the tenant leasing the building and is committed to working with them, and the Friends of Graves Park group, about short-term solutions to try to ensure there is a still a café at the park this summer. Several options are currently being explored and it is hoped a satisfactory resolution will be reached.

The long-term future of the building has not yet been decided and work is underway to gather the relevant information and costs for every potential option. When these decisions are required, they will be taken through formal Committee routes. 

Cllr Richard Williams, Chair of Community, Parks, and Leisure Policy Committee, said: “I would like to stress that at this stage no definite decision has been made regarding the future of the Rose Garden Café. There are many options and factors to consider but we are committed to a café featuring in the park long-term. We are aware how important the café is to people across the city and further afield and we will keep people up to date as this matter progresses.

“We appreciate this is extremely distressing news for the tenant leasing the building and understand just how damaging this could be to their trade over the busy summer holiday period.

“The summer months are very important to such businesses, and we empathise with and apologise to the business affected. However, we have a moral duty to protect all of those who may enter the building and deemed it the right option to close it to the public with immediate effect.”