Crowdfunding campaign to restore Swanspool Pavilion and Gardens
Wellingborough Town Council aims to raise £375,000 to refurbish the century-old site.
Wellingborough Town Council has launched a crowdfunding campaign to refurbish a historical pavilion.
It had been awarded over £800,000 for Swanspool Pavilion and Gardens, from the government's Plan for Change initiative last year.
But plans fell through after the council voted to remove the adventure golf as part of the plans.
Councillor Paul Bell is the leader of the Wellingborough Town Council.
He said the adventure golf course plan wasn't viable:
"Following the election in May, we looked at the plan and realised that we needed 45,000 people each year to make the golf course break even or it became a burden on the Council taxpayers in Wellingborough."
The area is home to around 50,000 people. There was also an issue of moving a Bowling Green which would have left the club without anywhere to play for three years.
The town council aims to raise £375,000 to refurbish the century-old site, updating facilities and improving security.
The first £72,000 of that is for vital initial works as Cllr Bell explains:
"We need approximately, to do the essential work and to get it right. Approximately £72,000.
"Now, that's not doing the full refurbishment. But to get it up to what we would say is a set full standards for letting we need to raise £72,000. The more money we raise we can do more repair and make more disabled facilities available."
He says they would like to widen some of the doors for wheelchair and mobility scooter access.
The Crowdfunder says it will be refurbished with authentic features, new flooring, lighting, and modernised facilities. We will restore damaged elements and enhance security, ensuring the site is safe, sustainable, and welcoming for all.
The money raised will fund these essential works and support energy-efficient upgrades.
The cultural landmark gifted to the town in 1919 by local philanthropist F.C. Chamberlain.