The Council has announced that Golfstorehouse has been selected to manage the golf course and cafe in Westminster Park in succession to Brio with effect from 1 April. Norman Trott and I have met the directors of Golfstorehouse. We have expressed our keenness to help the new venture make a success of both the golf course and the cafe and are planning to meet them again shortly now that their appointment has been made public.
As with Brio, the arrangement does not include responsibility for the public toilets.
Westminster Park has enjoyed another good year. A fine spring followed by an unusually warm and sunny summer and then a very mild autumn has resulted in the park being a hive of activity. There was one sunny weekend in September when all the football pitches were in use with lots of spectators, cricket was being played, there were croquet and bowls matches in progress, the Glan Aber and the newly refurbished public tennis courts were fully occupied, there were people exercising in the outdoor gym and in the multi-use games area, a bevy of energetic cyclists on the BMX track and lots of children, parents and grandparents in the children’s play area. The grassed areas and the fine turf lawns and pitches have been well maintained, the annual plantings at the Hough Green entrance and in the café area have looked very attractive, and the foliage on the park’s wide variety of trees has looked particularly splendid in the spring and autumn sunshine.
In addition to ensuring that standards are maintained at a time when council finances continue to be squeezed, the main challenge facing the park is the future of the café and the nine hole golf course. Both have been managed by Brio but have not lived up to earlier expectations. Our understanding is that the Council is currently reviewing other options for future management of these core assets. There is a high level of local voluntary participation in the various sports clubs that meet in the park and it would be nice to see the formation of a similarly active and enterprising community golf club as well as a café offering a much more attractive range of food and beverages. The door is wide open for local initiatives but, unless new ideas and proposals are forthcoming, there is a real risk these facilities will wither on the vine. To repeat the message in the last newsletter, if anyone has an interest or knows of anyone else with an interest in developing these facilities, the Friends of Westminster Park would be delighted to hear and to discuss possibilities. Keep in touch and feedback is welcome though the FOWP’s website at www.westminsterpark.org.uk/ .
Summary of issues discussed at the Committee meeting held on 13th July 2011.
Following the recent grant award to Westminster Park through the Queen Elizabeth Award scheme gym equipment will be installed on the area between the tennis courts and the play area. It is hoped to be in place by September following the supplier contract award by the Council.
The Council will be updating local Bye-Laws to ensure that ‘dogs on lead’ restrictions in certain areas of the park are complied with.
Action being considered by the Council to fell a number of trees in the car park awaiting necessary funding.
Updating of Café facilities requested from Council.
Green Flag award continued for a further year.
The Chairman,Vice Chairman and Secretary are undertaking a series of meetings with Council heads to progress the FoWP having greater involvement in the management of the Park.
The Croquet/Bowls Pavilion area to have all reclamation work completed by year end.
The following issues are being pursued with the Council
No lights working in the Car Park
Gate opening and closing times not be adhered to
Damaged hedges not being replaced on a timely basis
