The icing on the cake!
Responding to the community, North Norfolk District Council has awarded a second 4 month licence to the Friends of North Lodge Park to enable the café to stay open through the winter. “Since we opened in August the community has been great – helping in the café, baking cakes and as customers”, Emma Dale, vice-chair of the Friends said, “so when Norman Lamb said he would come to support us, we thought it was an opportunity to get the volunteers together to celebrate the extension to our licence.”
“The way the community has responded to the drawn out saga in North Lodge Park shows what can be achieved when all parties have a common goal,” said Norman Lamb, “I really hope the Friends group can build on their success in the café, and the district council recognises what an asset the Park and this community are to North Norfolk.”
The café was packed with volunteers on Friday afternoon to welcome Norman Lamb to Cromer, “These home made cakes are much better than those served in the House of Commons”, Norman said between mouthfuls of carrot cake, “and the quality of the coffee is superb – the rumours about it being the best in Cromer are spot on”.
Lizzie Knight, who made the carrot cake, said “It’s a real honour to be able to cook cakes for the café, but to have such praise from Norman really is the icing on the cake!”
The Friends have just published proposals for the development of the Park, with a questionnaire to give the community a chance to comment on the proposals. “If these proposals get the green light North Lodge Park could once again bring life to Cromer, showing it can be a park for all ages”, said Norman. “I will be watching closely how these plans develop over the coming months and will encourage the district council to listen to what the community wants”.