News: Opening nears for Rotherham country park upgrades including new £7m café and venue called "The Waterfront"

Multimillion pound upgrades at two popular country parks in Rotherham are nearing completion and will soon be open to the public, according to Visit Rotherham.

At Rother Valley Country Park work began in 2024 on a £7.4m contract to build a new waterfront development, housing a new 150-seater eatery and indoor function space with views extending over the lake.

The new development will also include external landscaping with an area for play outside the café for younger visitors. In addition, visitors will also benefit from new car parking facilities to the East of the lake, which will greatly improve accessibility and visitor experience.

The new development is set to open in "Spring 2026," according to park operators, Rotherham Council. March is the expected opening month.

An update from the park reads: "We’re delighted to announce that The Waterfront will be opening in Spring 2026, bringing an exciting new café and function space to the heart of Rother Valley Country Park.

"Set in a stunning lakeside location, The Waterfront Café has been thoughtfully designed to deliver an exceptional visitor experience, with over 200 covers in a modern, light-filled setting that makes the most of the surrounding views. It will be a place to relax after a walk, meet friends and family, or simply enjoy great food and drink by the water.

"Alongside the café, The Waterfront Function Space will offer a versatile venue for events, celebrations and community gatherings, all within a striking contemporary building that connects seamlessly with the natural landscape."

The total budget for the project in the council's capital programme is £8,854,198.

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Recruitment is currently underway for various roles at Rother Valley, including a venue & catering manager and head chef. Further roles are set to be advertised in January.

Council papers show that the delay in opening has been caused by the need for a power supply upgrade. A cabinet report stated: "The site handover at Rother Valley Country Park was completed in November 2025, however final completion is expected in March 2026 due to delays with the electricity connection with Northern Power Grid. In the interim period, the building will undergo furnishing, decoration and initial socialisation, leading to a soft opening in April 2026."

At Thrybergh, work got underway on a café refurbishment project and outdoor landscaping in the summer of 2025. The £790,000 upgrade has transformed the aging building at Thrybergh Country Park into a modern lakeside hub with improved indoor and outdoor seating, better access, and upgraded facilities.

Improvements include a new kitchen, an updated interior, a new outdoor terrace and fully accessible toilets and entrances.

The café will also feature modern design elements that blend with the park’s natural surroundings, while visitors with a sweet tooth are in for a treat, as the new café will serve ice cream.

Works were due to complete in December 2025 with a soft opening of the redevelopment works planned for January 2026.

Funding for both projects comes from the government's Levelling Up Fund, where Rotherham Council was successful in securing £19.5m for the town centre and £19.9m for a number of connected projects around the leisure industry.

Rother Valley Country Park website

Images: RMBC