A 19th century manor house in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, which has lain empty for decades, has been transformed into a cafe. Nestled within the grounds of Denehurst Park, the cafe will formally open this weekend and occupy the ground floor of Denehurst House.
Following a transformation, Denehurst House in Rochdale is more than just a cafe
More than just a cafe, the new venue will be managed and run by local Community Interest Company, Get Together After Serving (GTAS), and will be staffed entirely by former armed forces personnel and their families. Set up by Rochdale residents, Adam Trennery, Wayne Traynor and Wayne Simms, GTAS aims to support the local veteran community in a number of ways, including through wellbeing programmes and local events and get togethers.
Opening on today (Saturday 5th September), customers can expect hot and cold sandwiches, cakes, breakfasts and tea and coffee, alongside generous opening hours and honest prices. The team is also hoping to work with other local businesses to do specials on Fridays, like curry, pizza and pies. With plenty of space, the cafe will also serve as a place where local veterans can get together.
Denehurst House has been transformed by its owners, Rochdale Borough Council, who commissioned local builders, H Bell and Sons, alongside interior design specialists, to renovate the building while honouring its period features, which include ornate coving and bay windows. The council is hoping to use the rest of the building as accommodation for local veterans, and recently completed a public consultation on this proposal.
This Rochdale cafe is “particularly special”
Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This has been a really important project for us and it’s great to see it coming to fruition. We know that good quality cafes and other facilities are always welcome in our communities, but this one is particularly special. Not only was this a derelict old building, which has been lovingly brought back to life, but it will be run by local veterans and their loved ones.”
Local veteran, Adam Trennery, who is one of the directors at GTAS, said: “We’re made up to have the opportunity to open a cafe in this brilliant space. It means a lot to me personally, as I live round the corner and I’ve always thought having a cafe in that lovely park would be great. It was always a missing link, the food and drink offer, so as soon as we saw that the council was looking for cafe operators, we put in a bid. We’re really excited that we can use this as a base to further our support for veterans, while also welcoming the wider community. We can’t wait to get started and we hope to see lots of local residents popping in to see what we’re all about.”
A brief history of Denehurst House
Constructed in the 1890s for Alderman Robert Turner, founder of the Turner Brothers Asbestos Company, Denehurst House boasts a rich historical background. The estate originally sat amid sprawling landscaped woodlands, complete with a carriage turning loop and an ornamental fountain at the front entrance. Gifted to the town in 1932, the property was later repurposed into local council offices before sitting vacant for several years.
When will the Denehurst House cafe be open?
The new cafe’s opening hours will be every day, with operating hours from 9am to 6pm between May and October and from 9am to 4pm between November and April.
📍Denehurst House, Denehurst Park, Rochdale, OL11 5AU.
