Our plans for the pavilion

For the past three years, the Friends of Spencer Park have been working on plans to refurbish the Edwardian pavilion in the centre of Spencer Park. The pavilion is owned by Coventry City Council, so the first step was to ensure that the Council had no plans for the future of the pavilion and that they agreed with our strategic aim, which is the long-term preservation of the building and the development of the pavilion as the centrepiece for the park and a community asset. This work has been progressing, along with the efforts to install new playground equipment, create a cycle track for young children and to recondition the tennis courts.

Our progress

All this hard work is now beginning to pay off. The children’s playgrounds are installed, and the tennis courts will be reconditioned over the next few months. Now, we need your support to obtain funding for the work to refurbish the pavilion.

This is a major undertaking. The plan is to open up the interior of the building to create a large community space, a modern café and new toilets. The interior space will house exhibitions showcasing local heritage articles and photographs, and the work of local artists. The space will be used as a café in the daytime, but will be available for children’s parties from 4pm to 6pm and for community groups from 7pm to 9pm.

Artists’ impression of the café interior

We have produced many documents as our plans have progressed, these include:

• A report on the two surveys we have conducted
• An independent feasibility study
• The business plan for the café
• Scope of works
• Drawings
  –  Existing plan view
  –  Proposed plan view
  –  Elevation of main entrance

We are leasing the building from Coventry City Council on a long-term lease. This has now been agreed and signed. The next step is to obtain funds. Our plans present are to submit bids to:

• The Community Ownership Fund
• Seven Trent Community Fund
• The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The funding applications are currently being developed and will be submitted within the next few months. If all goes well, we are hoping to start the work in the autumn and have the building ready to be opened in the summer of 2024.

Save Spencer Park Pavilion

As part of our funding application, we need to show that the public are behind the changes we would like to make to the pavilion. Therefore, we have set up a petition so that this support can be demonstrated. By signing our petition, you will be adding your names to the hundreds of local people who enjoy the park and want to see the pavilion restored, not just to its former glory, but as a modern facility providing much-needed assets for our diverse community.

If you would like more detail, please contact Peter Elias (peter.elias26@gmail.com) who is coordinating the efforts being made by the Friends of Spencer Park with the many important tasks that this work involves.