Even when the building was left a sooty shell of its former self, Pat Kennedy never lost hope that one day the Park Cafe would reopen.
Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park “institution” was badly damaged in a blaze in December 2020, with the police later charging a 15-year-old boy.
Last August, a £1 million repair project got under way – with owner Pat relishing the chance to see it rise from the ashes.
While it may have taken longer than she hoped, this morning all her hard work paid off.
‘It’s been a long 18 months’
And it came back with a bang, with employees donning colourful costumes and painting the faces of the younger customers.
Over the skoosh of coffee machines and clatter of cutlery, Pat told us about the long road back to reopening.
Cradling her baby grand-daughter Sasha in her arms, she said: “It’s a great occasion.
“It has been a long 18 months looking at the ruins of the fire, and we wanted to make this a fun day.
“There are people of all ages that come in, often telling us about their memories of Hazlehead Park from the 1960s and 70s… I’ve heard all the stories!
“So I was always determined to bring it back.”
Praise for supporters who defied elements to get their cuppa
Pat reserved special praise for the staff – and customers – who kept the business going when a replacement kiosk was set up outside the burned-out building.
She said: “The whole community has been so supportive, we would open the kiosk in snow and rain and customers would still turn up!
“We have got through the darker days, and here we are.”
Park Cafe faithful thrilled to hear about reopening
It was late at night on Friday, December 11, that smoke was spotted billowing across Hazlehead Park from the building.
As the revamp began, Burns Construction director Keith McPhee told us the cafe was “quite badly smoke and fire damaged”.
He added: “I come to the park quite a lot myself and it’s much worse than you would expect from the outside.”
But for the future, things are looking bright.
So much so, that Pat told us her computer was “boiling” after being “inundated” with requests when she announced the Park Cafe reopening.
Staff are now once again looking forward to hosting everything from baby showers and birthday parties to, in this evening’s case, a rugby dinner for 81 players.
The Press and Journal arrived before today’s 11am opening, with staff busily arranging tables and chairs as a queue began to form outside.
Large balloons at the door let everyone know it was a special occasion, emblazoned with the slogan “WE’RE BACK”.
When the shutters lifted, five-year-old Skye Anderson was first in line to have her face painted – opting for a mermaid look.
Her mum, Kenna, said they had been “regular customers” before the Park Cafe shut.
Watch our footage of work beginning on the cafe last summer:
Are you glad to see the Park Cafe back? Let us know in our comments section at the foot of this article
Park Cafe ‘really is an institution’
One of the first customers through the door was North East MSP, Liam Kerr.
But with a cup of coffee and the Saturday papers spread before him, he wasn’t there on official ribbon-cutting duty.
The Conservative politician, who lives locally, said: “This is a really good meeting place, and the food is quality as well.
“When it closed after the fire there was this outpouring of grief, it really is an institution.
“All credit to the owners for getting it back on its feet.”
He smiled: “A black coffee and a read of the papers… Life doesn’t get any better than this.”
Learn more about the Park Cafe here.
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