At the November Parish Council meeting, several items were discussed relating to the café and the “Community Builder” initiative:
- A proposal to extend the Community Builder’s term with an additional £6,500 of funding (a retrospective approval relating to August’s meeting).
- A proposal to review and adopt a Pavilion Café Management Plan – which was deferred, as the Community Builder was unavailable to attend.
- A proposal to authorise the purchase of a new coffee machine and grinder for the café. A secondhand offer for £900 (including six barista training places) was reportedly on the table but ultimately dismissed.
Instead, the motion was modified to allow the Clerk to purchase equipment to support the Kempsey Youth Hub up to £2,642, which was accepted and resolved.
☕ But When’s It Opening – and Who’s Running It?
Despite months of discussion, no confirmed opening date has been announced for the Pavilion Café, and no clarity has been provided on who will be responsible for running or staffing it once it opens.
Will it be managed by the Parish Council, by volunteers, or by a third-party operator?
Who will oversee the finances, maintenance, and day-to-day running costs?
As of now, those details remain unanswered – even as public funds continue to be allocated to support the project.
🏚️ The Pavilion Itself – Fit for Purpose?
Another major question being raised is the condition of the Pavilion building itself. It’s no secret that the facility has long required maintenance and improvements.
If the Parish Council intends to operate a public café from the Pavilion, then a full refurbishment is likely to be needed – from kitchen facilities and flooring to accessibility, hygiene, and compliance with food safety standards.
That raises a bigger issue: where will that money come from?
Will further funds be drawn from Parish budgets to bring the building up to standard for a café operation — and if so, how much more will this project ultimately cost?
💸 Why Use Public Money for This?
Many residents are asking the same question: why is public money being used to launch a café, when Kempsey already has several local businesses offering food, drink, and social spaces -— all operating independently without council funding?
While the idea of a community café sounds positive on paper, the reality appears to be another poorly defined, council-driven project without clear objectives, business planning, or public consultation.
With funding already being reallocated from other areas, and ongoing confusion about who’s in charge, it’s difficult to see how this project benefits residents in its current form.
🧾 Still Waiting for the Minutes
We’re still waiting for the official Parish Council minutes to be released to confirm the details of these discussions and decisions. However, from what’s available so far, it appears that significant public money continues to be committed to a project that lacks basic transparency, planning, and accountability.
🗣️ What Do You Think?
The Pavilion Café could, in theory, become a well-loved community space – but that will only happen with clear communication, financial responsibility, and proper public consultation.
So far, residents have been left asking:
- When’s it opening?
- Who’s running it?
- How much will it really cost?
- And why are we paying for it?
We’ll continue to follow this closely and update once the official Parish Council minutes are published.
If you’d like to share your thoughts or experiences, below 👇🏻
