Category: Miscellaneous

Farmers Market on the fourth Saturday of each month.

Let us know if you have organised an event and we will be pleased to add a link.

A campaign is underway to restore the bandstand in Swanage, Dorset to its former glory. It’s the same model as that in the Pump Room Gardens, but the roof was removed after a storm in 2012. We shall be watching their progress. Fingers crossed for success!

For more details, click here.to be taken to their Friends’s website.

Warwick District Council will meet a crucial stage in the £1.2 million (Heritage Lottery Funded) restoration of Leamington’s Pump Room Gardens later this year, with the start of the renovation of the iconic Victorian bandstand.

Prior to the renovation starting, the council will be carrying out some precautionary works to the structure, which will require the bandstand to be screened and fenced off from 21 to 25 August. The rest of the gardens will remain fully accessible to the public.

Warwick District Council’s portfolio holder for Green Spaces Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger commented:

“Everyone involved in this project is eagerly anticipating the restoration of the bandstand, as a focal point for events in the gardens. We hope that the public will appreciate the meticulous work which will need to be undertaken to bring it back to its former glory.”

Over 20,000 people attended the Peace Festival in the Pump Room Gardens, one of the longest running free festivals in the country.

The sun kept shining, the temperature soared and visitors enjoyed music, a wide range of workshops, inspirational speakers and much much more.

It really was a fabulous event, well done to the organisers and all those involved.  We’re already looking forward to next year!

 

Leamington in Bloom are holding an open afternoon at the Town Hall on Saturday 18th March from 2.00pm – 4.00pm.

Come along to see the plans for the Pump Room Gardens and find out more about we are doing and how you can get involved.  (There’s free tea and activities for the kids!)

For more information click here.

On Monday 21st November works will begin to ensure the long term sustainability of the trees in the Pump Room Gardens.  You may already have seen the notices in the gardens!

The work involves felling, pruning, coppicing and removing dead branches from trees.  The felling of trees is being done with great sensitivity and has been subject to strict planning requirements.

While newly pruned and coppiced trees may look rather bare to begin with, they will regrow over time and the work being done now will lengthen their lifespan.

Twenty five new trees will be planted, not on the riverbank, but elsewhere in the gardens to ensure that there are mature trees for future generations to enjoy.

Councillor Dave Shilton said, ‘It’s great to see that work is starting on the Heritage Lottery Funded Pump Room Gardens restoration.  The tree works are just the first step in a project that will benefit the whole community.’

William Louis de Normanville was the celebrated Leamington Borough Engineer from 1882 to 1917. During this time he accomplished many notable designs that still stand today, all adding to the beauty of our town’s spa gardens.

He was responsible for many of the bridges over the Leam, the restoration of the Pump Rooms and the current layout of the Pump Room Gardens.

The 1989 book by Janet Storrie has now been republished (in the original format) by the author in cooperation with the Friends of the Pump Room Gardens. It is available from Waterstones Bookshop in Leamington and the Visitor Information Centre in the Royal Pump Rooms at the original price of £4.95. This publication is incredibly good value.

After much anticipation, (and crossed fingers for the weather), the weekend of ‘Art in the Park’ was finally here!  And what a fantastic event it was.  We were amazed at the number of people that stopped at our stand wanting to find out more about the plans for the Pump Room Gardens.  It was lovely to see just how much it means to the community.  And it wasn’t just the physical works we were asked about, but what events and activities were planned too.

We will be updating this page regularly, so please pop back to find out more!

The Friends of the Pump Room Gardens have been shortlisted for the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ Leamington Business award 2016 and need your vote to become the outright winner.

This award is for a volunteer or a team of volunteers that have shown outstanding achievement and have made a significant contribution to Leamington.

Why you should vote for the Friends

The Friends are all volunteers who have campaigned since 2008 to improve the Pump Room Gardens for residents and visitors.  Working closely with Warwick District Council and other community stakeholders, the Friends are proud of their contributions to improving outdoor life in Leamington Spa.

In 2012 the Friends completed the restoration of the eight Victorian Linden Arches.  Then in 2014, the Friends secured a grant for a feasibility study for the comprehensive refurbishment of the Gardens.

This led to the award of a grant of almost £1 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a major restoration of the Gardens, the first substantial works for more than a century.  The works will ensure a permanent improvement to the gardens.

Archie Pitts, Chairman of the Friends, said “This is a fantastic project for what has always been known as the Village Green of the town.  We are all looking forward to seeing the works start.”

Vote for the Friends at:

http://leamingtonbusinessawards.co.uk/outstanding-pumproom.html

Closing date:  July 29th

All the preparations are still going on behind the scenes.  This involves planning both the restoration work and this summers events.  The official paperwork is still to be signed off, but we hope to have all that done this summer.

Further details of all the events can be found here.

A major part of the project, is of course the bandstand.  We can’t wait to it restored to its former glory!  For more information on Bandstands, why they exist, and the part they’ve played in British history, please have a look at the website of Paul Rabbitts, which can be found here.  Paul, a self confessed ‘bandstand geek’, has written two books on bandstands, both of which reference the bandstand in the Pump Room Gardens.