Hunsbury Hill cafe will be 'typically English'

It has been the subject of much debate and derision, but work is now well underway at the controversial cafe in Hunsbury Hill Park.

Criticised as a potential source of noise and rubbish, an attraction for anti-social youths and a burden for existing businesses, the plans were passed amid local outcry earlier this year.

But The Hunsbury Herald caught up with the man behind the proposal, Colin Ingle, to find out why he wants to build a 'well managed country park cafe' to the area.

His vision is of something 'typically English.'

A country park cafe where dog walkers, litter pickers and children can stop off for a bite to eat, a nice hot cup of tea or coffee or even a toilet break.

What Colin Ingle says he doesn't want – any more than any other residents of West Hunsbury – is a truck stop or a meeting point for local yobs.

Those are just two of the accusations he has had to face up to since applying to Northampton Borough Council for planning permission in February 2008.

Despite the criticism he insists what he really wants is to create a focal point for the community.

When completed Colin's cafe, due to be opened officially at the end of February 2011, will be able to hold 20 people inside and 20 more outside.
Despite his background running his own a burger van for the past 12 years, Colin says the cafe will not be serving up burgers and chips. Instead drinks, scones and sandwiches will be at the top of the menu.

His aim is to create a building where dog walkers, ramblers and children can stop off for something to eat.

To do this he has pulled down a disused and dilapidated toilet block.

He told The Hunsbury Herald: “West Hunsbury has no facilities for people to get drinks, no takeaway, the pub doesn't do food.

“What I wanted it to be was something typically English. We have a lot of Chinese, Indian or Italian food, but we don't have much of anything English.

“That was my initial thought.

“The building was an utter mess and I thought, I'm sure that could be made up into a park cafe.

“I am sure it will enhance the park. The council haven't spent much money in the place.

“I want it to be a community point for the people of Hunsbury.

“Not everybody is comfortable in that pub. I want to get families in here.”

The cafe will also provide a welcome break of a different kind for weary walkers. Part of the agreement with the council was that the new facility would replace the old toilet block, with it's toilets open to use by all.

The new toilet will be rather more up-market than it's predecessor though and will incorporate large disabled and baby changing areas.

There will also be a noticeboard in the cafe to advertise what is happening in the park and an outside decking area will give people somewhere to sit on sunny, summer days.

So why so much opposition?

At a cabinet meeting on March 3 this year the cafe was opposed by both the Friends of Hunsbury Hill Country Park and the Northampton Ironstone Railway Trust (NIRT).

Friends' chairman Alan Brown quoted police reports that 'a cafe may contribute to crime and disorder and attract criminal enterprise', while his colleague Peter Sharpe 'suggested that alcoholics and drug abusers would be likely to frequent the proposed cafe'.
NIRT's Mavis Wilmhurst also opposed the cafe saying it 'would compromise funding applications from the Trust for any improvements to their own cafe'.
References were made to 400 objections received against the plans and to police objections made during the planning process, in which crime prevention design adviser Sharon Henley wrote: '...in my opinion, the development will attract crime after hours. The cafe will probably be the target of burglary for food items and cash, as well as attracting the local juvenile nuisance perpetrators who will enjoy the ability to sit, covered, on the wooden verandah'.
There were some positive comments at the meeting as well, but - despite planning permission being granted - the project has remained mired in controversy.
So what does Colin say to those critics?

"It is possible (there may be trouble from youths), but I think I'm a strong enough character," he said.
"The cafe will be closed by 6pm. It won't be late night opening.

"I can't see how it can be any worse than what was already there.

"I won't be serving burgers and chips, and there will be no alcohol or cigarettes for sale so I'm not sure there will be much to interest troublemakers."
As far as the NIRT cafe goes, he has no problem with them pushing forward to extend their own opening hours.

Currently the NIRT cafe is only open when the group's trains are running, but members of the railway trust believe upgrading their facilities would attract more visitors. They also believe this wouldn't be possible if there was already a commercial cafe in the park.
Colin said: "I applied for planning permission long before the railway announced any plans for their cafe. It is unfair to say 'we don't want you to have a cafe because we want to have one'.

"If they were going to have a cafe they could have had one a long time ago. If they want one now they can go and get planning permission.

"I wouldn't be objecting, but I did apply before they mentioned any plans."

He is equally dismissive of claims the cafe would attract lorry drivers - saying he would refuse to serve them.
"There are restrictions to defer HGV vehicles from coming through this area.
"I have always stated that if we have truck drivers come to the cafe, I would say sorry but you can't really come in here because it would upset the residents.

"I would refuse to serve any truck drivers."

Colin is tackling the adversity by asking residents to talk to him about their concerns and to give the cafe a chance.

He told me: “My long term plan is to get residents to see that it is going to be a well managed country park cafe.

“I am trying to win people over. I think I can do it.”

And it's a process he believes is already having some success.

“A lot of dog walkers have spoken to me,” he said.

“I have been very encouraged by their positive comments. They have been very excited about it.

“A lot of people would like a cafe facility there, and not just from West Hunsbury but from the greater area of Northampton itself.”

He added: "I am quite excited about it. Every day or two something new is happening.

"I am moving into the inside to work on that now.

"When I have been working on it I have been amazed how many people walk through the park.

"It will never be as busy as Abington Park, but the catchment area of West Hunsbury is huge and there is no other place to get a coffee or food.

"Even if the Park wasn't there I would still want this.

"East Hunsbury has three pubs with restaurants, a private golf club and numerous takeaways. West Hunsbury hasn't got a lot really.

"It is about time we started to get together to change that."

> What do you think of the plans for a cafe in Hunsbury Hill Country Park? The Hunsbury Herald would love to know what you think.
Please post your comments below or email hunsburyherald@hotmail.co.uk