Structural Engineer Report Summary

We are excited and delighted to bring you this latest update from the Rose Garden Café Partnership. We met with Jenny Bulmer the conservation engineer from Alan Wood & Partners to view the results of the new ground investigations and structural findings. The structural engineer’s detailed design work alongside the new ground investigations undertaken in May 2024 have concluded that the poor foundations are the sole reason for the lean in the wall. Her recommendations based on this new information are that the front wall should remain propped by scaffolding until refurbishment works take place and that any scaffolding supporting the roof can be removed. This paves the way for the reduction of the internal scaffolding in the café and our priority is now to reopen the café’s internal seating and catering as soon as possible.

Structural Engineer Report Detail

• The Rose Garden Café Partnership (Friends of Graves Park, Save the Rose Garden Café Campaign and SCC) worked together to cocreate a design brief and appoint structural engineer, Alan Wood & Partners to undertake detailed structural design.
• Following review of all existing surveys, information and a site visit, Alan Wood & Partners advised that further ground investigations were required to conclusively determine the cause of the lean to front wall and understand if the scaffolding could be removed.
• The new ground investigations were undertaken and the structural engineer report concluded that the front wall is suffering rotational failure due to poor subsoils/insufficiently deep foundations and that no other walls are affected. The report also concluded that the main pitched roof structure is in reasonable condition.
• The structural engineer has recommended that the scaffolding to the front wall remains necessary, but any scaffolding that is propping the roof only can be removed.
• In order to make the front wall safe, the structural engineer’s recommended solution is to take down the existing front wall, retaining materials for reuse where suitable. Then to construct a new footing for full length of front elevation, taken to suitable natural bearing strata and rebuild the new wall to replicate existing.

We are excited to share the results of the recent public consultation on the Rose Garden Café restoration and refurbishment. We recieved1557 responses to the survey, via online and paper submissions from 41 of the 45 Sheffield (S) postcodes. These range from the Stockbridge Valley in the north to the Dronfield Valley in the south, out into neighbouring Derbyshire in the west and Nottinghamshire in the east

Click here to see the wonderful infographic created by Partnership member Liz Hnat

The questions were grouped into a number of themes – the headlines of which are shared below:

Visiting the Park

• Over half of the respondents visit the park at least once a week, with more than 25% visiting either daily or several times a week. This feedback is therefore grounded in the views of those who use the park the most.
• The most common answers to “Who do you visit the park with?” were “Family” then “Friends” with the third most popular answer being “Alone”, showing that our park is a space for all to enjoy.
• “Visiting the Rose Garden Café” itself was the second most popular reason for visiting Graves Park, next to simply walking through our wonderful space (often with a dog!).

Restoration Priorities

• The highest number of responses were for the Heritage and Identity of the Café to be respected, notably the exterior look and the clock tower being restored.
• The next priority given by the consultation is to ensure the inside of the Café is an adaptable space, maximising the possible community uses.
• Accessibility and Sustainability featured next highest on the priority list, asking us to ensure that the space is used by as wider range of people as possible, and that the café makes full use of energy efficient and low waste / maintenance technologies.

Facilities Priorities

• The ability for the space to be used by community groups was ranked number one on the priorities in the consultation.
• The provision of an indoor play / flexible space for young children within the café ranked the second highest on the wish list.
• The third highest position was taken by the need to refurbish the current toilet blocks

In addition to these headlines we have had lots of great individual contributions , notably around improving the kitchen and the outdoor seating areas, all of which will now be taken into the design process. We will be working alongside local professionals and subject matter experts to create a brief that will see the Rose Garden Café restored, rejuvenated and reborn.

The additional ground investigations have now been undertaken to understand the building foundations. The results of the investigations will enable the specialist structural engineer from Alan Wood & Partners to complete her proposed solutions for the front wall.

Photos of ground investigations being undertaken.