THE first buns and cakes have been served at Greenhead Park’s new-look cafe.

And the man whose family have been in charge of the eatery for the past four decades admitted: “It’s spot on”.

The praise came from Tony Coletta who leases the cafe in the building at the top end of the Huddersfield park.

Mr Coletta’s family have run the ‘Café in the Park’ for over 40 years but he said it had never looked as eye-catching as it does now following several months of refurbishment.

The makeover has been part of the lottery-funded £5m restoration of the council-managed Victorian park.

“It has taken a while to get done but it has been worth the wait,” said Greenhead Park Manager Robert Whittaker.

The size and layout of the cafe is very much as it was but the dark interior is now light and airy.

French windows have replaced the boarded-up ground floor windows.

On one side they open on to a decked seating area overlooking the tennis courts and bowling greens and on the other side they open onto the miniature railway platform and main events area. There is a completely new kitchen area on view behind the counter and a bright interior seating area for 40, furnished with contemporary wooden tables and chairs.

There are also new toilet facilities for cafe customers.

Mr Coletta said: “It’s much more pleasant for staff and customers”.

The cafe is open seven days a week and the improved kitchen facilities mean that it will be offering a more extensive menu.

During autumn and winter, opening times are 10am to 3pm and in spring and summer it will open a minimum of 10am to 6pm.

In good weather and for events in the park, the cafe will stay open into the evening to cater for customers.

Adjacent to the cafe, a new Community Room has been created in former offices used by park-based council staff. It can be hired through the cafe for meetings and functions.

There are also new toilet facilities which can be accessed from the Community Room or used by visitors to the park.

At the opposite end of the building are offices for parks management staff.

Mr Whittaker said: “Restoration work in the park may be going on around it, but the cafe is very much open for business.Š

“It opened specially to cater for participants in the Remembrance Day parade earlier in the month and it is now open daily.

“It will make an ideal ‘waiting room’ for the Santa Specials running on the miniature railway on the December weekends prior to Christmas and it will also be supporting a Christmas event being held by the park’s Friends group on Sunday, December 12”.

The £5.4m restoration of the park, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Kirklees Council, will be completed early next year.

It includes a new lake, improved main arena facilities and a complete restoration of the Victorian conservatory.