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Work to begin on Roundhay's Lakeside Cafe
Work to repair fire-hit Lakeside Café in Roundhay Park is due to begin.
Workmen will focus on replacing the fire-damaged roof and interior of the building, before handing over late Spring to tenant David Rogers for a re-fit.
* Click here for a picture slideshow looking back at the devastating fire at the Lakeside Cafe.
Mr Rogers, who leases Lakeside from Leeds City Council, hopes to have it open once more in time for the Summer season.
The attractive caf bar, which overlooks Waterloo Lake, had earned the accolade of "best beverage experience" in Britain from judges in a national catering trade magazine.
Then last year an electrical fault sparked a fire which ripped through the caf, leading to its closure.
Painstaking investigations took place to establish the extent of the damage, with engineers having to ensure that the fabric of the building was sound before the go-ahead could be given for repair work to start.
Detailed design and drawing work for the scheme was undertaken before the project was then put out to competitive tender and was awarded to Yorkshire-based MD Construction.
Councillor John Procter, executive member for Leisure, said: "We are delighted that work is finally under way to restore this immensely popular caf in what is one of the most visited parks in the North of England.
"While the council pulled out all the stops to provide an alternative venue for refreshments in the cricket pavilion, it will be great to see people back in Lakeside again."
The caf repairs are further good news for visitors to Roundhay Park after the opening of its Visitor & Education Centre in The Mansion in November last year.
It looks at the park's ecology and geology, the architecture of its landscape, and its history, archaeology and popular culture.
It opened as part of the final stages of the 8m restoration of the park to its original Victorian splendour. The Heritage Lottery Fund-backed scheme has seen careful restoration and upgrading of the park's infrastructure, landscape and features.
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 18 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 8 C to 12 C
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