The Argus reports sinister comments from a council spokesperson..
Paul Levy The Argus yesterday reports on further sinister comments from a council spokesperson who claims there are no plans to lose the cafe in the gardens "as a service".Once more, carefully worded spin. No mention that the current building will remain. This is why the Friends are geared up for a major campaign of protest that will do its best to ensure the cafe building as it is on its current lovely site is saved for future generations.You know, I don't think the Council has any real idea of what it might be getting itself into here. More people are joining the Friends as we speak (I'm just being a big mouth on here and am fairly small fry compared to the support gearing up.) The Council claim to be guardians of the "bigger picture", which is taking the form of a grandiosely named "Master plan". True public service is about humility and remembering that bigger pictures are held, not by councils, but by the wider community they are supposed to be serving, without ego. The wider community around this cafe, developed over 50 years is huge, stretching beyond the borders of our city right out to the four corners of the earth. This same community could be better engaged in supporting the lottery bid, if only the council realised the current cafe building and patio is an established, vibrant culture of its own. It may be on the pavilion estate, but it is now a valuable thing in its own right. The council have no moral right to touch it.