Community Cafe & Arts Space

From "Manor Park"

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What: Activate the vacant lot across the Manor Park Station to create a Community Cafe with a space for arts & culture inclusive for all. The following could be considered as part of its activation:

A Community Cafe & Cooking School combining food production skills with cooking skills and offer skill development to young people. Part of the lot could facilitate a small greenhouse to grow vegetables and create a farm-to-table cycle.
A space for local art & culture, that offers cultural learning opportunities. The space could be used to showcase local talent and continue the Idea Days that spurred from the Manor Park Citizens Assemblies.Opportunity to create creative activities for those under the age of 18.
A coworking area for hot-desking and coworking throughout the week.

Where: vacant lot across the station

Comments(15)

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Profile of Ewan Morrison

Posted by:Ewan Morrison

5 years ago

i think this is a great idea, Manor Park will benefit massively from having such a space - give the local residents something to be proud of and go to, we need the confidence of manor park to be boosted - this I think is the first step in the right direction !

Profile of Tom Bendix

Posted by:Tom Bendix

5 years ago

A Parkside cafe would be a wonderful addition to the area. Good design will be needed inside and out. The small cafe in Wanstead Park has proven the model works. Applying this to Manor Park would provide a popular local meeting point as well as bring new business to the high street. Twinned with the proposed playground opposite, there will be no shortage of business.

Profile of Samantha Cottle

Posted by:Samantha Cottle

5 years ago

Love it! Sounds like there are a few ideas in one here which could be expanded on. I agree with @Jenny Duval that a community cafe in one of the disused retail units on station road would be a great first step and help to breath some life and footfall into the high street. Getting one started would then surely attract other independent businesses too. I wonder why the Manor Park library could not be re-vamped as more of a community space for cultural learning, meeting space, and co working? Trying to do all of the above in one space may be a big project but breaking it down into smaller pockets could achieve something better, faster and more sustainable.

1 like

Profile of Ewan Morrison

Posted by:Ewan Morrison

5 years ago

@Samantha Cottle yes! - i think this ia good idea too - make it in an existing unit and improve the high street with the other ideas and it will all come together. It has the potential!

1 like

Profile of Rachel Stevenson

Posted by:Rachel Stevenson

5 years ago

This is a great idea.

Profile of Jenny Duval

Posted by:Jenny Duval

5 years ago

I too am concerned where the money is going to come from not just to built the Cafe / Cooking School but to keep it running over the years in any sensible manner. I also have a hunch that you can't build on that spot as Network Rail needs it to stay fairly clear to be able access the tracks in emergencies. Instead why not help local enterprises such as Cups & Jars or Tromso to open up a shop on either Station Road or even in the empty shop unit at Manor Park Station. These local gems have done so much to regenerate Forest Gate so let's bring them over here! They have a winning formula so why not help them expand? Entice them to venture into E12 by for instance help with business rates or initial rent freeze and you'll see that things will grow from there. A condition would possibly be that they would offer facilities for hot desking / catering apprenticeships. A good starting point to reinvigorate our area and our high street. You don't always have to start from scratch but use wisely what you've already got ; ))

6 likes

Profile of Laura Holland

Posted by:Laura Holland

5 years ago

@Jenny Duval I'm not from Manor Park- but yours sounds like a great idea. It always makes me suspicious when the Council says there is no money for sustaining something- but has huge plans to start things up. It means the accountants are in charge and you are looking at different budgets, it is a stupid and ridiculously wasteful way to run public finances not to consider things more holistically.

Profile of Ewan Morrison

Posted by:Ewan Morrison

5 years ago

@Jenny Duval very good comment - I agree we need this cafe - but your right in saying why not bring over other loal businesses to expand to neighbouring e12, we're well connected already. Let's make this happen!

Profile of Laura Holland

Posted by:Laura Holland

5 years ago

I agree this is a great idea- but where is Newham Council finding the money? Relatively recently they let all the Community Links centres close because there was no budget for this- what has changed? Opening a new centre is far more expensive than keep centres which are already running open. This must be a vanity project- everyone gets excited lots of money is wasted setting it up then there is no funding for it-ridiculous and cruel.

5 likes

Profile of Harrison Laird

Posted by:Harrison Laird

5 years ago

I would love to see this as Manor Park is surprisingly lacking any good coffee and working spots. More than anything I'd like to see it designed well, as it will be a focal point as soon as you leave the station, it needs to be inviting! (Not plastic clad!) The farm to table idea is great, there needs to be an aspirational level of quality to make it not only exciting for those working there and investing their time, but also to attract custom from the residents and visitors.

3 likes

Profile of Laura Holland

Posted by:Laura Holland

5 years ago

This is a great idea- but where is Newham Council going to find the money? When Community Links collapsed Newham didn't step in to save any of the centres- the food growing at Play, Sow and Grow just disintegrated- the cost of making a growing area has to be far greater than merely supporting one that was up and running. On the other hand if LBN can find the money why were all the Community Links centres let go? It's just so wasteful. Play, Sow and Grow and Rokeby had cultural learning opportunities and plenty of activities for young people,in addition to cooking classes and a large growing space- how is it that now in a global pandemic and huge economic turn down the money can be found but 3 years ago it couldn't?