Cafe at Fareham's Westbury Manor to reopen despite museum closure
The Westbury Manor Museum cafe is set to re-open, councillors have been told.
The ground floor cafe and gardens will remain open to the public under new management in the New Year despite the museum closing down.
Councillor Connie Hockley (Con, Titchfield), Fareham Borough Council’s executive member for leisure and community, told a recent full council meeting that the cafe will be run by Cafe at Zero 5.
Cafe At Zero 5 currently runs the restaurant at Solent Airport Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent. It is expected to re-open the cafe from mid/late January 2025, the council said.
Meanwhile, the council asset management and regeneration teams will review the interest received for the Westbury Manor building, said Cllr Hockley.
The café is currently open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm and the building will be returned to the council at the end of December.
Hampshire Cultural Trust, which had been running the museum until a Hampshire County Council funding cut meant it was unviable, continues its work on moving all the collections and exhibits to Chilcomb House in Winchester. There the collections will be stored, once cleaned and documented.
Cllr Hockley told members on December 11 that the local history resource folders had been moved to Crafty Makery, a shop in the Fareham town shopping centre. There the documents can be accessed by the public for research purposes.
The building, owned by Fareham Borough Council, is still being marketed by Savills with the hope of finding a long-term tenant.
Past ideas from council members for use of the building have included a registry office for weddings and citizenship ceremonies or a restaurant.