Couple to leave Trent Park cafe after 30 years as Go Ape make bid (From Enfield Independent)

Couple to leave Trent Park cafe after 30 years as Go Ape make bid

3:20pm Wednesday 21st March 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

Campaigners have held protests outside the site since it was approved in December.

Campaigners fear an adventure playground company could take over a café in Trent Park.

Rosa and Dennis Marzocchi, who have run the café for 30 years, have been told by Enfield Council their bid to carry on running the popular venue has been turned down. They must leave the premises when the lease runs out next week.

A petition set up by campaign group True Friends of Trent Park to save the café three weeks ago has now been signed by 1,817 people, as they fear that the council may hand the lease to Go Ape, the company whose controversial tree-top adventure course opens this weekend.

Mrs Marzocchi said she was “too upset” at the council’s decision to talk to the Enfield Independent.

Go Ape confirmed that it has made a bid for the building but denied it would be rebranded or converted into a welcome hut for visitors to the adventure park.

In a statement, the company said: “We have put in a tender for the café along with others and are waiting to hear back. If we were to succeed in our application, it will be branded the Forest Café, not Go Ape café.”

Hundreds of people voiced their opposition to the construction of the zip wire and rope course in the Church Wood area of the park after the Enfield Independent revealed it had been approved in December.

Park users were unhappy that noise from visitors would disrupt the tranquillity of the nearby cemetery, and argued inadequate consultation had taken place.

But the council said the application would not reconsidered, and the course is due to open this weekend.

In a statement, Enfield Council said: “We are in the process of finalising who will be awarded the lease and we expect to announce a formal decision in due course.”