Little Dinosaurs has now submitted plans to reopen the café and extend the building to create an indoor play space, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

A park café closed for 18 months looks set to finally reopen after a play centre operator won a tender to run it.

Little Dinosaurs, which already runs a soft play and café in Alexandra Park, has submitted an application to refurbish the pavillion in Town Park, Enfield Town, and open a similar indoor play area there as well.

It comes after the firm’s bid for the lease of the site was accepted by Enfield Council.

Four park cafes across the borough all closed on the same day in September 2023 due to tens of thousands being owed to the council in rent by the previous operator, but Town Park is the last one that has yet to reopen.

Work now being proposed by Little Dinosaurs includes a refurbishment of the pavilion and the demolition and replacement of the conservatory with a single-storey rear extension.

Currently the pavilion is “not fit for purpose”, “needs upgrading” and has been the “target of vandalism” according to a planning statement.

In the document, Little Dinosaurs states: “The main aim of this application is to create more space and better facilities, to allow the reopening of the café as a facility within the park, and at the same time to enlarge the play area and seating arrangement to provide a much-needed service to the families in the local community.”

Because of being both a heritage asset and sitting within a conservation area, a heritage assessment has also been submitted and states the application would “provide a service that will attract more people to the park” and secure “the enjoyment of the heritage asset”.

Little Dinosaurs also claims the proposals have “limited impact” due to the use of natural materials to “blend with the features of the park” and the “small scale” of the proposed extension.

A council spokesperson said: “We are looking forward to the renewal of this much-loved café in Enfield Town, which sits alongside a very-well attended library and park.

“We can confirm that Enfield Council has agreed terms with Little Dinosaurs for a lease of Town Park café. The leaseholder will go through normal planning procedures.”

More information on the scheme can be found via Enfield Council’s planning portal, using reference number 25/00558/FUL.

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