We are delighted to let everyone know that The Pavilion, Castlethorpe’s new Community Space at the Sports Ground, will open as a Café and bar run by Clare Vachell, who many of you will already know as not only a villager but also the owner of the successful Lodge Farm Café.
Due to delays with some furniture and equipment deliveries The Pavilion will open a little later than was hoped but Clare is keen to be up and running in March with a café service during the day and a bar and restaurant service in the evenings and weekends.
There is a lot of work getting ready to open and Clare willlet us know nearer the time on an exact opening date. The formal opening, originally scheduled for 22nd February, will also be put back until we are confident everything is ready.
This is a very exciting development for the village and we all wish Clare every success as we get ready to support her in opening the café, restaurant and long awaited bar.
Philip Ayles, Chair, Castlethorpe Parish Council
Lawrence Chapman, Chair, Castlethorpe Community Space
The £19,000 grant from the National Lottery's Community Fund was received in December and we immediately placed orders for most of the remainder of the social area furnishings and kitchen equipment.
The furnishings are scheduled to arrive from two suppliers this week and next. Curtains are being supplied by Universal Blinds who have given a generous discount. We also ordered the units for the serving area and these have now been fitted.
The only remaining items are some shelving in the serving area and some kitchen items being discussed with the prospective tenant. The only big issue is the provision of an extractor hood. This was not part of our initial specification but will be needed for the wider menu now being proposed.
We are simplifying the Membership process so there will be just one class of Member. The changes to our Articles are being lodged at Companies House.
Any resident can become a Member for free and the Directors can admit non-residents as Members usually if they have a strong connection to the village, for example, play in one of the sports teams.
Members own the company, will elect Directors and will receive a discount on prices that will already have been benchmarked to ensure good value.
Gordon Fleming has agreed to be the Company Secretary and Membership Secretary and his company is sponsoring the membership cards.
Once the new Articles are accepted Gordon will initially invite donors and contributors to apply for membership and, once that process is working smoothly, open up the process to all residents probably during February.
Philip Ayles
