Lancashire Wildlife Trust unveil Queens Park café new look

The Pavilion Café, based at Queens Park off Spa Road, was taken over by The Lancashire Wildlife Trust earlier this year.

This was after the café had closed the previous February and having opened again in July, the new operators promise to make it a hub of community and nature themed activities.

LWT head of commercial Edward Bailey said: “Beyond our vital work in nature restoration and advocacy, we engage in a wide range of community activity, such as running nature-themed events and activities, school education programs, mental health outreach, securing funding for local children’s nature-themed activities and education, and social prescribing.

“Moss Bank Café, for example, has become a vibrant community hub, open 364 days a year, where locals gather daily for a brew and natter.

The café is found on Queens Park in Bolton town centre (Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust)

“They lead their own lunch clubs, meetings and celebrations, treating it like a second home. It will be the same at Queens Park.”

The café had closed towards the end of February when previous operator Deep Beat Entertainment Ltd went into administration.

But it did not stay shut for long after the Wildlife Trust were unveiled as the new operators and opened again in July.

The café will be hosting a range of events (Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust)

The trust also run Moss Bank Café and hope this will point the way to how their café at Queens Park, which they now manage on behalf of Bolton Council, will be similarly successful.

The café will start with its programme of events with autumnal offers to bring more students and families to the park.

This includes children to eat free from the Little Explorers Menu when an adult buys a main course on Fridays throughout November, while the adult will also get a complementary drink.

The café at Queens Park is open for business (Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust)

Mr Bailey said: “Queens Park is located near several schools and universities, making it an ideal spot for students to visit during their breaks.

“So, we are offering a 15 per cent discount to encourage our decision makers of the future to come to the park and enjoy the café.

“We hope to create a welcoming space for students to study and relax.”

A mural showing the work of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has been painted on the wall (Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust)

He added: “Bolton Council has been hugely supportive, including the successful acquisition of long-term leases for both Queens Park and Moss Bank Park.

“Their openness to new ideas and ways of working has been key to our progress.”

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This week Bolton Council executive cabinet member for climate change and the environment, a regular park goer, visited the café himself to hear about the plans.

Cllr  Richard Silvester said: “As a local resident myself living opposite to Queens Park, and also a councillor representing Queens Park and Central ward and the executive cabinet member, I’m in Queens Park regularly and I can see what a difference the café makes.

“It’s wonderful to see it looking great and being enjoyed by visitors young and old.

“The council is delighted to be working with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, which is a much-loved local organisation, and we look forward to continuing working with them on the café.”