Big plans for Swanspool Gardens and Pavilion met with 'excitement', 'anger and disappointment' as major changes coming soon to Wellingborough attraction

The project – which involves remodelling the space within the pavilion to create a café, two rentable function rooms for community use – was discussed at a council meeting this month after funding was allocated in December 2024.

Work will also take place in the gardens to include increasing the planting through ‘sustainable flora and fauna’, resurfacing the pathways throughout the gardens and, most notably, repurposing one of the bowls rinks into an adventure golf course.

Cllr Graham Lawman, leader of Wellingborough Town Council, said: "The town council is excited about the future for an enhanced pavilion and gardens. Having seen the draft plans, increasing the space for hire within the pavilion and making it more appealing will enable more community activities to be provided to the community. This will bring a new offering to the town centre for all to access.

“Through the commercial income generated by the Adventure Golf, we will be able to offer the hire of these rooms at a community rate, on par with other community buildings in the area. This scheme brings huge benefits for the social and physical well being of our community, having lasting impacts on all our lives.

“The gardens have, for too long, been a hidden gem of the town and we want more people to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere in the gardens.”

Recently, Wellingborough Town Council was awarded a grant of £836,696 through the Government’s Community Ownership Fund, with £786,697 capital plus £50,000 for revenue towards the refurbishment of Swanspool Gardens and Pavilion.

A town council spokesman added: “Wellingborough Town Council have been negotiating positively with the owners of Swanspool Gardens and Pavilion – North Northants Council - to acquire them through a Community Asset Transfer to restore these historical assets to their former glory, enabling the expansion of services to the community.”

An architect has been appointed to draw up the plans for the internal alterations to the pavilion, with a view to submitting a planning application for the works in February.

The Community Ownership Fund application submitted in April 2024, and later approved, also included the refurbishment of the pair of out-of-use tennis courts in Swanspool Gardens, funded by the Lawn Tennis Association and North Northamptonshire Council.

The council says the new adventure golf attraction remains ‘central to the ongoing funding of the asset’, and as such are looking to repurpose the lower bowls rink, believing two facilities to be ‘surplus to requirements’ after the community using the greens has reduced from four clubs to just two.

Committee members of Wellingborough Bowls Club has criticised the decision to install an adventure golf course on the lower green, however, believing the wishes of the existing members are being overlooked by the council.

The top rink, which will remain a bowls facility, is in a state of disrepair and neglect, and the club says it has not been used in six years, thus is not suitable for play due to its lack of use over the years.

The club also cited its narrow walkway on the edges of the green causing health and safety concerns, and its further proximity to the pavilion as key problems associated with using the upper green.

The lower green is used by bowls clubs from the last week in April to around the third week in September, and while work is planned to convert the green which is currently used, the council says that by starting the works in September enables the existing bowls rink to be used by the bowling clubs this season.

The grant funding must be spent by December 2025, which documents also say is the practical completion date

It was said in the meeting that the working group, which was set up in June 2023, had ‘considered on many occasions’ the option of using either area, and that ‘both had their pros and cons.’

Kevin Allen, a resident of the local area, believes the bowls community has been ‘completely ignored’, and has expressed disappointment in the decision to dig up what he believes to be ‘a perfectly good green’ to make way for the new adventure golf course.

In a letter penned to the town council following its meeting earlier this month, Kevin expressed his ‘shock, anger and disappointment’ at the decision made by the town council.

He said: “Despite a working group member consulting with Swanspool bowling representatives back in July 2023, when a number of valid reasons were given for them retaining use of the lower green, they have been completely ignored.

“There are also serious concerns that the council's decision was based on inaccurate information as to the condition of the upper green as a suitable replacement. This green has not been adequately maintained for at least five years.

“You have provided a very detailed specification for the golf project and it would help if you could confirm the specification and standards that the upper green refurbishment will conform to in order to achieve a playing surface at least equal to the lower green and the time scale for this work to be completed.

“Whilst you state that the cost of this work cannot be separated from the total project cost it is clear that if the Adventure Golf were to be located on the upper green these costs would be avoided.

“The impact of this development on the bowls community is considerable. The two Swanspool teams comprise of 70 playing members. These teams compete within the local leagues and host other teams on the lower green throughout the season. There are also a number of casual bowler groups who use the lower green on a regular basis.”

Mr Allen goes on to say that he is ‘not trying to stop the Adventure Golf project’, rather that the proposed location for the new adventure golf facility is ‘detrimental’ to the character of the local area, and could run the risk of failing the town’s bowling community.

Sealed tenders are currently being invited by the council for the design and installation of the adventure golf course, including the need to obtain all necessary permissions, licences and approvals, and installing the 18-hole golf course, fencing, gates and signage.

More information can be found here.