The Lappa Valley Railway has announced that work will start on a new £1.2m building to create a new cafe and indoor soft play area.

The Engine Shed is a 7,000 square foot new building and will contain a large coffee shop and café overlooking the boating lake with a new indoor play area. There will also be an outdoor park area, as well as decking to enjoy coffee and lunch outdoors.

This project will also see Lappa Valley opening year-round when they open for the 2020 season.

Planning permission was granted in February 2019 and, following some trial digs in the area in April, work will begin in the coming weeks.

The building work will commence during 2019, with The Engine Shed opening to the public in 2020.

The current Whistle Stop Café will be transformed into a retro-style ice cream parlour, while the Carriage Café, a former full size railway  carriage converted into a café, will offer sandwiches and afternoon teas, as well as the traditional Cornish cream tea.

A project manager has been appointed to oversee the smooth running of the project.

What did the officials say?

Keith Southwell, owner at Lappa Valley Steam Railway, said:

“This is a really exciting time for the whole team at Lappa Valley. The Engine Shed will provide a place for parents to refuel and for children to let off steam.

“Here at Lappa, we’ve always been at the mercy of the great Cornish weather – but this building will give us an indoor space for families to enjoy as well as all of our great outdoor fun. We are looking forward to running classes, workshops and activities in The Engine Shed too, which is a new departure for us. We can’t wait to open the new building next year, and we hope all our visitors will love it too!”

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