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Roundhay Park Mansion: Celebrations on the menu
Historic Roundhay Park Mansion is to once again host wedding celebrations and other special occasions after an absence of more than five years.
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Councillors have appointed Leeds-based company Dine to operate the mansion's function facilities and cafe-restaurant.
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Dine already hold catering contracts for a number of high-profile venues including Leeds Town Hall, Harewood House, Fountains Abbey and York Minster.
Its managing director, Mr Daniel Gill, is the son of one of Yorkshire's most famous restaurateurs, Michael Gill.
The company's plans for the mansion include a ground-floor caf with counter service and both indoor and outdoor seating opposite the Roundhay Park Visitor Centre.
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The remainder of the ground floor and first floor will feature a function rooms for both corporate and private social events such as weddings and birthday parties.
Work is expected to start early next year on the re-fit of the Grade II listed building and it is expected to be open for business by next summer.
The decision by the council's Executive Board to award the contract marks the end of a lengthy saga which began in 2003 when former tenants Craven and Gilpin surrendered their lease in 2003.
In December 2005 the council agreed a total of 1.9m, which included 407,250 of Heritage Lottery Fund cash, to be spent on The Mansion's refurbishment and building the park's visitor centre.
A marketing exercise to invite bidders for the mansion lease took place in 2006 but was unsuccessful, so it was agreed to re-market the opportunity in 2007 with the council offering a sweetener that it would make a contribution towards the fit-out works.
Councillor John Procter, executive member for leisure, said: "This is excellent news. Dine are a top-quality, locally-based company and I know they will do us and The Mansion proud.
"We have been absolutely adamant throughout the whole process that we will settle for nothing less than the best for this lovely old building."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 18 May 2012
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