New cafe puts down Strong Roots at The Green

Bury Council has licensed Strong Roots, a local social enterprise, to provide the cafe service at The Green in Clarence Park in Bury.

Next to the bowling greens, the cafe occupies the refurbished bowling hut and provides a wide range of freshly cooked, locally sourced, healthy food, along with cold drinks, snacks and ice creams.

The cafe acts as a community hub, with a range of activities going on throughout the week – pay and play crown green bowling, bingo afternoons, debt advice clinics, dementia awareness sessions, Wheels for All sessions and much more.

It also shares space with a local disability group, which operates from The Green, as well as the local men’s and women’s bowling teams. The Green has excellent disabled toilet and changing facilities.

Strong Roots is looking to develop the cafe to create a community hub which promotes inclusion and makes a positive social impact. It also contributes to local employment and economic development by providing work placement, volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities for disabled people and young people.

Councillor Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “This is an excellent appointment for us, bringing in Strong Roots to run the cafe at The Green. The Green is an excellent facility and we want it to be at the heart of the local community. Strong Roots, while providing good food at great prices, will help us to achieve our aim of The Green being a valued community asset.

“Clarence Park is such a lovely space, providing lots of opportunities and activities for local people, so a community cafe in the park is hopefully the icing on the cake.”

Ben Crouch of Strong Roots said: “Strong Roots CIC is delighted to be operating The Green community cafe in Clarence Park. It is a fantastic space providing opportunities for people to enjoy good food, in good company and in great surroundings. We are keen to offer more activities and social groups so want to encourage local people to pop in with any ideas to help us develop The Green into a thriving and highly regarded community hub.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 16 July 2015.

Picture: The Green cafe.